Light and Shadows
by criminally charmed
Summary: An old friend of Virgil's is back in his life.  But so is a threat he never knew was there.  Will the shadow of that threat destroy the light of his life and love?  Mush, agnst and - alright, I'll get to the Alan whump eventually.
1. Chapter 1

**Light and Shadows**

**By Criminally Charmed**

**Disclaimer - Do not own the Thunderbirds. If I did, Alan-whumpage would be an Olympic Sport.**

**Chapter One – The Light**

Alan Tracy smiled up at his girlfriend as she joined him on the lounger he had edged closer to the house.

"Avoiding the madness?"

The teens looked up and grinned as Jeff Tracy walked out of the house. Alan shook his head in amusement.

"John and Emily aren't getting married until Christmas," Alan laughed. "But everyone is going nuts already!"

Lady Penelope, Emily and Onaha were all gathered around a table, notes, magazines and an i-Pad in front of them. John was smiling indulgently as he played with Emily's golden blonde hair. But it was Scott and Gordon's enthusiasm for the details that amused the teenager most.

"Alan," Tin-Tin protested. "It's incredibly romantic. John wants the perfect day for Emily."

"Emily is a doctor," Alan argued. "She's not only one of the smartest people I know, she's just plain old super-smart – a genius! She doesn't want a fairytale wedding."

"I don't know," Virgil said as he joined his father and youngest brother. "Maybe that's what makes her want it even more. And maybe it is why John wants her to have it."

"And how would you marry me?" Tin-Tin asked, shaking her head when she looked up at Virgil and Jeff. "I mean, years from now, if you did. How would you be romantic, Alan Tracy?"

Alan gave a small smile and put an arm around her. "If I was smart enough to marry you and you were crazy enough to say yes, I would want it to be just family, right on the main beach as the sun set. I know you like sunrises but I would be afraid that most of my family would sleep through the ceremony. Nothing fancy, nothing that would get in the way of the two of us declaring that we would be together."

Seeing Tin-Tin's dreamy look was not as alarming to Jeff as Alan's determined demeanor.

"But," Jeff said firmly, "that won't be for years to come, right?"

"Of course, Dad," Alan grinned. "We have to finish school, right? Speaking of which," the teen stood and stretched. "I need to finish my summer astronomy project before John heads back up to five. You want to proof read for me, Tin?"

As he exited the villa, Kyrano gave his daughter and the boy he loved as a son a firm glance. "I trust you both completely," the Asian man said firmly. "But for the Tracys' peace of mind, keep the door open."

"Dad," Tin-Tin protested, holding up her and Alan's entwined hands, their purity rings clearly visible.

"For the sake of Dad's and Kyrano's blood pressure," Virgil laughed, "that open door does sound good."

When the teenagers disappeared into the house, Jeff sighed and happily took the ice tea glass offered to him by Kyrano. "I trust them but sometimes I wish it was a chastity belt and not just a small ring."

"Yes, Mr. Tracy," Kyrano said with a twinkle in his dark eyes as he prepared to carry the tray to the wedding planners. "But who would you place the belt on?"

Virgil laughed as Jeff sputtered into the tea.

* * *

Sarah Woodbury sighed in relief as the water sluiced through her hair, removing the smell of smoke and traces of ash that always seemed to get through her helmet. The paramedic's bright auburn hair was longer than she should probably have it, but it wasn't thick so Sarah could safely secure it at the back of her head. Whenever Captain Delgado would say anything about it she merely would look at Patrick Kelley, the shift's engineer and gesture towards the man's mustache – complete with handlebars.

"When Kelley has to shave off his mustache, I'll get a bob, Cap and not one second sooner," Sarah maintained in a rare show of defiance.

Shutting down the shower, Sarah began to quickly towel off her hair before pulling on some clean clothes. Exiting the locker area, she called out "All Clear", the signal the shift had instigated when the young woman had been assigned to the station. As the only woman on shift, Sarah appreciated being allowed first dibs on the showers when they came back from a fire.

"Leave us any hot water, Woody?"

Smiling at her partner, Sarah shrugged. O.C. "Tommy" Thomson – who never would admit what the O.C. stood for – was fifteen years her senior and had been with the Boston Fire Department for years. The man could have easily made Captain by now except for his desire to remain more active as a paramedic. But Tommy's wife had admitted to Sarah that she might need a new partner next year – Tommy was sitting for the Captain's test in January and with his record, there was little doubt he would make it.

"A bit," Sarah grinned. "Better hurry up, Kelley. You'll need plenty to get the soot out of your caterpillar."

"Woody, you were deprived out there in Kansas," Kelley smirked. "You never learned to appreciate classic, urbane styling such as my glorious example of facial hair."

As the man disappeared into the showers, Sarah shook her head. "He makes my home sound like "Little House on the Prairie." My father was a lawyer, not a farmer and I sure as hell am not Dorothy Gale." Seeing her partner's odd look, she frowned. "What?"

"You know the last name of the character from Wizard of Oz?"

Laughing, Sarah left the locker room but not before calling back, "Tommy, they teach us that in pre-school."

Heading into the kitchen, Sarah hooked up her i-Pad, ready to check her e-mail even as she began to prepare dinner. Alan Tracy had sent her the recipe for Pasta Primavera that she had eaten with the Tracys after the bank robbery and Sarah was eager to try it out on her team.

As the water began to boil, Sarah added the pasta to the pot before turning down the heat and focusing on dicing up the vegetables. Absently thumbing through her e-mails in between tasks, Sarah's knife froze in mid-chop at the address of the last e-mail.

Whispering softly, Sarah read the address out loud, "V Tracy at Tracy Enterprises dot Org."

Virgil? None of the other Tracys' name started with V, so it had to be. Setting down the knife with a shaky hand, Sarah pulled up a chair and began to read.

**Sarah –**

**Hey. Bet you are surprised to hear from me. Um, it's Virgil. Man, that is dumb, isn't it? **

**First, I want to thank you. John and Alan went on and on about the robbery and how you tried to protect Alan. I know how much he meant to you but you know how much the Sprout means to the family. So thanks.**

**I meant to contact you sooner – Alan gave me your e-mail – but life kind of got away from me.**

**There's so much I would like to say but here is the big thing. I am bringing Alan back to school next week and I also have a meeting at one of the Tracy Enterprise offices, specifically the one in Boston. I was wondering if you had some free time that weekend. Dad has been after me to take a couple of days down and I haven't been to Boston in years. So what do you think? Wanna show an old pal from Kansas Bean Town? If you are busy, I'll understand but I hope I can see you, if only for a few minutes.**

**Your Friend, (Still – I hope)**

**Virg**

"Hey Woody," Captain Delgado said as he entered the room. "Watch your cooking."

"Damn," Sarah muttered, jumping up and attending the food with swift efficiency. When she turned back around, she was annoyed to see several of her co-workers reading her e-mail.

"Do you guys mind?" she growled. "That is personal."

"So who is the Virgin?" Kelley asked with a smirk.

"Virgil," Sarah corrected, "not virgin. Just a guy I grew up with."

"Alan and John," Tommy mused. "That was the name of the Tracy Brothers. And he does mention the bank."

OK, fine," Sarah allowed. "Virgil Tracy. But still just a guy I grew up with."

"So he hasn't seen you in a while, right?" Tommy pressed. "Did his brothers tell him how much you have changed?"

"No," Sarah muttered before sighing. "I asked them not to."

"You had a crush on him, didn't you?" Tommy asked.

"No! Maybe – I don't know," Sarah grumbled as she drained the pasta and added the other ingredients.

"We are off next weekend," Tommy encouraged her.

"I know."

"So?"

Sighing, Sarah motioned for the others to set the table as she placed the dish of pasta on the table. Picking up her i-Pad, she began to respond to the e-mail.

"Have him pick you up here," Delgado said firmly as he set up ice tea and water pitchers.

"Why?" Sarah asked in confusion.

"Have to make sure he is good enough for you," Tommy muttered to the amusement of the room.

Seeing the protectiveness in her shift's – her family's – behavior, Sarah just smiled.

"Deal."

* * *

"Dad!" Alan groaned. "I'll be fine!"

Jeff stood back for a minute, his left hand gripping Alan's shoulder and his right brushing gently through his youngest son's golden blonde hair. When the teenager glanced up with a grin, his bright blue eyes dancing with merriment, Jeff had to swallow the lump in his throat and tugged the protesting boy into a tight embrace.

"_Oh, Lucy, he is so much your son," _Jeff thought quickly, stiffening when the scent of lilacs once more tickled his nose.

"C'mon you guys," Virgil grumbled as he leaned out of Tracy One. "I have that meeting in Boston this afternoon and then I told Sarah I would pick her up at the Station House when her shift ended at four."

Jeff released Alan, secretly glad that his other sons were on a quick rescue in Sydney and that even Tin Tin was occupied with Command and Control. The last few minutes, as Virgil had stored Alan's luggage – what Brains hadn't brought with him when he had taken Fermat back to Wharton's earlier in the week before the two Hackenbackers had gone to spend a few days at a conference in DC – had been for Jeff to say good-bye to his son.

"Maybe the next time I head to New York," Jeff said, "you can come down and spend a couple of days with me."

"Dad," Alan shrugged, "that would be nice, but the coach said even if I can't be on the track team, I can help with the equipment. And Emily even said that I can work out, within reason. She sent the guidelines to Coach Michaels. It will help with Team Building and keep me in shape. Between that and the fact that three of my classes are on the AP level -"

"You'll be pretty darn busy," Jeff conceded. "OK, but one of us will be up for Columbus Day weekend at least. You think you can spare us a few minutes?"

Alan grinned again. "Yeah, I guess a few minutes -"

"_Now_, Alan!" Virgil called out.

Giving Jeff one last hug, Alan bounded into the plane. "Love you, Dad!" he called out even as he secured the hatch.

Jeff stayed in the hanger, long after the sleek jet had faded into the horizon, taking his youngest son away. He knew that Alan always came home. But with Alan's increasing enthusiasm about life off the Island, Jeff's over-protective nature surged once more. The man knew that it was irrational, that other people cared about Alan and the boy was well-protected at Wharton's.

Yet the memory of that horrible phone call, when the headmaster had said that Alan was missing still haunted Jeff's memory. And when he was found – God, it was as bad as when Gordon was hurt. No, it was worse. Jeff hadn't caused Gordon to be where he was when he got hurt. But it had been Jeff's thoughtless words to his youngest son that had caused the teenager to be out running that night, straight into the path of a drunk driver who had left the boy to die by the side of the road. By some miracle, Alan had survived and –for the most part – had recovered. Alan still couldn't participate in track at Wharton or rescues with the Thunderbirds, but according to John's fiancée, Emily, that could change by Thanksgiving.

Thoughts of Emily caused Jeff's mind to wander to the family's reunion with Sarah Jane Woodbury. Thinking of the attractive young woman who had changed so much from the timid child he had known back in Kansas, Jeff couldn't help but smile.

"Virgil is sure going to be in for a surprise when he sees Sarah Jane again, isn't he Luc?" Jeff mused aloud.

As the smell of lilacs once more drifted his way, Jeff smiled once more. Yep. His middle son was definitely in for a surprise when he met up with his childhood playmate.

* * *

Scott Tracy sighed in relief as he finished his checks on Thunderbird One before climbing down to join his brothers.

"You finished the checks on Two awfully fast boys," Scott called out to his brothers as he dropped to the ground. "Best make sure you are taking good care of Virgil's baby."

"The Big Green Bug is safe and sound," Gordon responded cheekily. "Virgil will be well satisfied."

Glancing at his watch, Scott groaned, trying not to be too disappointed.

"Big sigh, big brother," John smiled, placing a comforting arm around Scott's shoulder as the three made their way towards the lifts. "Just notice we are too late to see the Sprout off?"

"I don't know why Virgil had to be in such a rush," Scott grumbled. "And if he was, one of us could have taken Alan back to school."

"It would be a waste," Gordon argued. "I mean, Virg has to be at that meeting today in Boston and Wharton's is only a forty-five minute drive from Boston. And then there is the chance of him hooking up with Sarah."

"Yeah," Scott conceded. "It will be nice for Virgil to meet up with an old friend. Sarah Jane was always such a sweet girl. According to the blonde wonders, she still is."

Trying to ignore the crack about his hair color, John smiled. "Yes she is. But she is a lot more willing to show her temper these days. Sarah really has grown up from the little girl we knew in Kansas."

"Not to mention," Gordon grinned as they entered the lift, "she is seriously hot."

"Sarah Jane?" Scott scoffed in disbelief. "Sarah Jane Woodbury was a lot of things – smart, kind, loyal to name just a few – but hot was never one of them. She was kind of cute but it would take a big stretch of the imagination to ever call her hot."

"Remember how Grandma used to Sarah Jane was "a rose about to bloom"?" John cracked as the doors slid open and they exited into Jeff's office. When Scott nodded, John laughed.

"Consider her a rose in bloom, brother mine."

* * *

Virgil let Alan get out of the rental car while the teenager was immediately surrounded by his friends. As the five young men began to talk excitedly as they compared summer breaks, Virgil began to pull out his brother's bags.

"Where's Fermat?" Alan looked around for his smaller friend.

One of the teen's shook his head. "Not back yet. The headmaster said Professor Hackenbacker assured him Fermat would be back by tonight. With classes starting tomorrow, you two will be two of the last ones to arrive. Most of the students were here by last night. We even got the OK to set up your room for both of you. Um," he hesitated, "we were afraid the reason you were so late in getting here was that you were still hurt too much."

"Yeah, Tracy," another guy muttered. "You scared the crap out of everyone with that. Last time we saw you was when you were being med-flighted to a trauma center. So not the way to end the school year."

Alan laughed. "I'll try not to do it again, Jake."

"See to it," Virgil said sternly as he handed Alan one of the smaller bags.

"Hey guys," Alan grinned, gesturing to Virgil. "This is my brother, Virgil."

"Musician, right?" the first teen asked. When Virgil looked surprised, he just grinned. "Alan's favorite subject is his family. Scott is the pilot, John is the astronomer, Virgil is the musician and artist, Gordon is the athlete. Did I get everyone?"

"Yeah, Tony," Alan groaned in embarrassment. "You got it."

Virgil smiled as the teenagers moved, en masse, into the dorm, their earlier conversation picking up where it had been left. Looking around in surprise, Virgil was startled to realize that the other boys had grabbed Alan's luggage and were leading the way into the building.

Suddenly, Alan stopped and ran back to his brother. Throwing his arms around Virgil, the teenager grinned as his hair was ruffled fondly.

"Big brother cramping your style?" Virgil teased.

"I know you have that meeting to get to, Virgil. Thanks for driving me out here. You know, if you had landed at Springfield Airport instead Logan, the school would have sent a car for me."

"Yes," Virgil agreed. "But then I wouldn't have gotten an extra hour with you."

Quickly hugging Virgil again, Alan ran back to join his friends before his brother could say anything.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Virgil waited until his little brother was safely in the dorm before climbing back into his car. Alan was really becoming a great kid. It was too bad it had taken several near misses and almost losing Alan for the family to realize it. But Alan was now enjoying the knowledge that he was loved and needed by his family.

"Stay safe, Sprout," Virgil whispered before starting up the car and pulling away from the building.

* * *

The entire shift shuffled in, exhausted from having been fighting a fire at an abandoned school in South Boston.

"What a waste," Kelley groaned as he began to secure some of his equipment.

Any response was cut off by several members of A shift emerging from the kitchen.

"Hey guys," Bobby Madison called out, raising a coffee cup in greeting. "We made a fresh pot if you want some before you leave for the night."

"None for me," Sarah groaned as she packed away the last of the medical supplies. "But is the shower clear?"

"All clear, Woody," Bobby nodded. "What's the hurry?"

"Woody's got a hot date," Kelley teased even as Sarah's partner took a swipe at his head. The big man ducked expertly, having expected the treatment.

"Really?" Bobby asked as he looked around at his team. "What relative or neighbor they stick you with this time Woody? I mean, my cousin Greg is back from the Army and -"

"It's not like that," Sarah protested. "It's – Well, it's just an old friend from Kansas is going to be in town this weekend and I promised to show him around. That's it."

When Sarah fled to the relative safety of the showers, Captain Delgado and Tommy both glared at not only their own team but the other shift as well.

"Woody is going out with Virgil Tracy," Tommy said.

"Seriously?" Bobby asked. "Someone named their kid Virgil?"

"Jeff Tracy named all five of his sons after Mercury Seven astronauts," Delgado explained.

"Jeff Tracy?" another member of Shift A gasped. "_The _Jeff Tracy?"

But Bobby nodded. "Yeah, remember the three day wonder in the news after Woody got caught in the bank robbery while she was training down in New York? It said one of the reasons she stayed in the bank was to protect one of Jeff Tracy's sons. That she had baby-sat the kid when growing up in Kansas and that her family had lived right down the road from the Tracys."

Tommy nodded. "Yes, she did. And Woody's been real happy to reconnect with the family. Personally, I think she also had a major crush on this particular Tracy and she's a nervous wreck. Woody hasn't seen him in years and you know from Harry that Woody has changed a lot. At least physically."

The firefighters all nodded, recalling what Woody's late aunt had said about her niece. Apparently, before the girl was injured in the fire that killed her family, Woody had looked rather different and was painfully shy. While she had gained confidence professionally, socially Woody was still somewhat withdrawn. The assembled men looked at each other and in a moment of camaraderie one shift silently agreed with the other that they were all staying to check out the guy who was trying to make time with their Woody.

* * *

_**A/N - More soon, conversations on even chapters.**_


	2. Chapter 2 A Light to Warm the Soul

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Do not own Thunderbirds or I couldn't make the Alan-whump as an Olympic Event crack. And By The Way - You people were waayy to enthusiastic as to that possible event.**_

* * *

**Chapter Two – A light to warm the soul**

Virgil Tracy pulled up to the fire station, patted the GPS that had gotten him there so quickly and parked in the spot marked "VISITORS". Climbing out of the car, he took a deep breath and sighed with a small smile on his face. While the smell of autumn had yet to gain sway over the mustiness of summer's humidity, South Boston, with it's legendary array of ethnic restaurants and bakeries, had an enticing odor all it's own. Virgil may not have been as food-focused as his oldest brother, but all of the Tracy men had healthy appetites and an appreciation for good food.

It had been a pleasant surprise when Sarah Jane had sent back the e-mail, saying that her shift was off for the weekend and – barring an emergency – she would be off of work at 1600 hours on Friday. Virgil had made sure the townhouse the company kept in Boston – useful for both the family and visiting dignitaries for Tracy Enterprises – was available. The last thing Virgil wanted to deal with was the paparazzi that seemed to cling to most high-end hotels. Nope, this weekend was a time to relax and reconnect with an old friend.

His smile only grew as Virgil recalled Sarah Jane Woodbury. When he had last seen her, with her fire-engine red hair in a long braid and bright green eyes almost hidden behind a pair of thick glasses, the Tracys' neighbor was of average height and at least twenty pounds overweight. Virgil assumed that Sarah Jane had lost the weight and must have gotten contacts or something. How else could she work for the fire department?

A firefighter. Now that was a surprise. Even if she was a firefighter/ paramedic, how could Sarah Jane become a firefighter? Her parents and sister had died, Sarah Jane had almost died, in a fire. What was she thinking?

Well, that was something Virgil would ask Sarah Jane about later.

Entering through the open bay doors, Virgil looked around. Seeing no one there but the fire engine and the paramedic truck parked nearby, the middle Tracy son assumed someone was here.

"Hello?" Virgil called out.

A door swung open to Virgil's left, the soft "bang" startling him. But it was the glares from eleven men, of varying ages and ethnicities, which made him almost take a step back.

"Um, hi," Virgil said, fighting down his nerves. "I'm here for Sarah Jane Woodbury."

A chuckled, "Sarah Jane" was met by a smack to the back of the head for the speaker and a hissed, "Shut it, Kelley." Finally, one of the men stepped forward, holding out a hand in greeting.

"O.C. Thomson, Woody's partner. You must be Virgil Tracy?"

Taking the offered hand in greeting, Virgil tried not wince at the painful grip he was subjected to.

"Oh, come one," Sarah exclaimed as she exited the locker room. "I wondered why no one was bugging me to hurry up. If you are determined to have a pissing match, take it out of the bays. I just scrubbed them down this morning."

"Just making sure he knows to watch out for you, Woody," Tommy said firmly.

"I can watch out for myself," Sarah responded with equal firmness.

Making sure not to shake out his cramped hand – at least not in front of these guys – Virgil turned slightly to look at his old friend. The expression on his face was one that his brothers would have sorely loved to have captured and made the firefighters all grin.

"Sarah Jane?" Virgil asked in surprise.

"Hiya Virg," Sarah said with a becoming blush.

"Wow," Virgil breathed in appreciation. "You – um, you – You got taller," he finally blurted out.

To his relief Sarah just laughed. "Yes. A growth spurt. From sixty-four inches to sixty-nine between ages sixteen and eighteen."

"Your hair…" Virgil's voice trailed off.

The men couldn't blame him. Most of them had only seen Woody either in uniform, or maybe jeans and a t-shirt, none form fitting. And her hair was always tightly gathered at the back of her hair.

But now? Woody's hair fell into soft auburn waves around her shoulders and framed her face perfectly. The make-up that she usually avoided was lightly applied, accenting her creamy skin and brilliant green eyes. And none of them had ever seen Woody wearing tight designer jeans, stylish walking boots and a pale pink chambray shirt, belted at the waist and reminding them that Woody – for all that they thought of her as "one of the guys" – was definitely female.

"Ready?" Sarah asked when no one spoke up.

"Um, yeah," Virgil stumbled, holding out an arm for Sarah to take hold.

"See you Sunday night, guys," Sarah called out as they left.

"Sunday night?" Virgil asked as they exited the station.

"Shift C – my team," Sarah explained. "We go on overnight shift for two weeks. I don't have another weekend off until October. I mean, I have time off, just not a real weekend off until then."

Virgil led Sarah to his car before pausing. "Um, you aren't leaving a car here are you?"

Sarah shook her head. "No. I usually take the T to work. The trains run at all hours and I don't like to park my car out in the open."

As he helped Sarah into the passenger seat, Virgil nodded. "What kind of car do you have?"

Grinning, Sarah secured her seatbelt as Virgil climbed behind the wheel. "Tell you what – I'll pick you up tomorrow before we do some sight-seeing. You'll have to let me know if it passes the Tracy seal of approval."

* * *

John leaned over and grabbed the phone, mumbling a "ha-lo".

"Gee John," Alan's cheerful voice trailed over the line. "What language is that? I don't recognize the dialect."

"Funny, Sprout," John grumbled as he sat up a bit more. "What's up?"

"They've moved Family Day to Columbus Day Weekend," Alan said. "And I know Dad has probably forgotten that Ann-Marie scheduled that teleconference for that weekend."

"You checking on my schedule, Sprout?" John asked with a grin.

"Yeah," Alan admitted. "Everyone else has seen Wharton's except you. Well, you were here the one time but -" Alan's voice trailed off as he recalled that the only time John had been to the school was after the hit-and-run, as his brothers had joined authorities in looking for Alan.

John had to clear the lump in his throat – he really didn't like recalling those horrible hours when they didn't know where Alan was, or if he was even alive.

"Sorry, Sprout," John said finally. "I'll be up on Five that weekend. But I think you should ask Scott. Big brother really missed saying goodbye to you."

"Sounds good, Johnny," Alan answered. "But that means you are off for Thanksgiving, right?"

"Yep."

"Cool. Maybe you and Em could come get me for Thanksgiving break."

"Well," John hedged. "I'd love to, but I can't speak for Emily -"

"So just wake her up." The dead silence made Alan laugh before he continued. "John, you weren't at home, you answered the cell and you had to be woken up. So just ask Emily."

John glanced over to see Emily glancing up at him, laughter dancing in her eyes. "Um, I'll ask -"

Snatching the phone from John's hand, Emily addressed Alan. "Hey, Sweetie. When did you want me to come with John? Thanksgiving? Oh, sure – I'll be there. My last full week at the hospital is the first week of November. I'll be working on the clinic full time after that. No, it's not opening until February but there will be a lot of work and with the wedding the week before Christmas – Yes, I double checked your schedule. The wedding is the day after you get home from Wharton's. Luckily for us, Wharton's is doing the extended Christmas break this year to do the upgrades to the HVAC system. You get a few extra days so John and I can get married, have a honeymoon and be back to open gifts on Christmas morning."

Emily laughed as she waived away John's hand from the phone. "No, Alan – we are not getting you a niece or nephew for Christmas. At least not this year. We'll talk about it next year."

John finally snatched the phone back. "OK, Sprout – I'll call you before I head back to work."

Setting the phone down, John kissed Emily passionately. "A niece or nephew?" he laughed. "Anything you want to tell me?"

"Not at this time," Emily giggled. "Wanna practice fulfilling the kid's Christmas wish?"

* * *

Virgil followed the directions Sarah gave him.

"It's not fancy, but it is very nice," Sarah explained. "Dolce Vita has awesome food."

"Friday night in Boston," Virgil teased. "And you didn't make a reservation? I could use some connections in New York but I don't think I can help here."

"Don't worry, Virgil," Sarah laughed. "I think this time I have better connections than you do."

Virgil pulled into a public parking lot, paying the attendant before escorting Sarah down the street to an understated restaurant on a busy South Boston street. A few diners were enjoying the warm evening under an awning covered patio with "Dolce Vita Ristorante" neatly printed on the front. Others waited for tables to be called.

Ignoring the people waiting, Sarah headed straight for the table. An attractive brunette manning the hostess station looked Sarah over. "Name?"

"Would you tell Carlos that Sarah Woodbury is here?"

"Miss, if you don't have a reservation -"

"Woody!"

Sarah and the hostess both turned, Sarah with a smile and the hostess in surprise, at the booming voice.

"Sarah Woodbury!" a large man called out, hugging Sarah fiercely. "Sonia, this is the young lady who saved my life! The best table for her and – ah, and you finally bring a young man to meet me! Perfect! Someday, you will come back and bring your babies with you, yes?"

Laughing, Sarah whispered to Virgil, "I'm not even going to try and argue with Carlos. Just go along with it."

Carlos led the pair personally to a table that was clearly the best in the house. He beamed at the pair as he handed them menus. "The best I have ever gotten Sarah to do is take some food home. But I told her, you meet the right young man, you need to bring him here."

"The food here really is great," Sarah said to Virgil. "But you've been following the doctor's orders, right?"

Patting Sarah's cheek, Carlos nodded. "Of course. Light foods, exercise and my family makes sure I don't overdue it. And yes, I am taking the cardiac meds. But we both know I am alive thanks to you."

When Virgil looked at her in confusion, Sarah blushed. "I was looking for a bakery that Captain Delgado had recommended to get something for Kelley's birthday when Carlos collapsed right ahead of me. It was just CPR."

"That and she got on her phone," Carlos said excitedly, "and she calls the doctor. They have it all ready. The doctors said I would have died if I hadn't been treated immediately. Sarah saved my life. So I have gotten her to come in on occasion and load up on food. But finally – she has brought a young man to meet me."

"Well," Sarah laughed. "Virgil, this is Carlos DeLuca, owner of this establishment. Carlos, this is Virgil Tracy, who I grew up with in Kansas."

"Kansas, hmm?" Carlos mused. "May I make some recommendations for you?"

The couple nodded, so Carlos started enthusiastically. "Hot & Cold Antipasti Platter for two - Stuffed mushrooms, stuffed eggplant, prosciutto e melon, and fried calamari for an appetizer. House salads for both of you, with Sarah having the Pollo Verdicchio -"

"That's Chicken sautéed with white wine, red peppers, olives and artichokes," Sarah said with gusto.

Carlos nodded. "And for Virgil - Bistecca alla Florentina, Prime T-bone steak grilled with peppers, mushrooms and garlic. All with a nice Chianti."

"Sounds wonderful," Virgil enthused, while Sarah smiled in approval.

"And I want a bill this time, Carlos," Sarah called after the man as he hurried off to put in their order. At the absent wave, Sarah sighed.

"I keep telling Carlos, I can't take free food. It's against policy."

Virgil smiled and took Sarah's hand. "It seems you have a bunch of champions. Guess you don't need me anymore."

Smiling, Sarah ran her thumb over the back of Virgil's hand. "I've missed you guys. I'll always need you. I mean," she said hastily, "I'll need all of your family."

"They're your family, too," Virgil stressed as he squeezed Sarah's hand. "And they've missed you. Alan's thrilled to have his "big sister" back."

""That's me," Sarah said quietly. "Everybody's sister."

"Well," Virgil grinned. "Can I for one say, I am glad you are not my sister?"

"Easy to say now," Sarah sadly looked away.

Virgil took Sarah's chin and forced her to look at him. "I know you probably won't believe this, but I didn't think of you as a sister since sometime in high school. I thought of asking you out but -"

"But I wasn't a cheerleader," Sarah interrupted.

"No, Thank God," Virgil said reverently. "But I was too scared."

Sarah looked puzzled. "Scared? Of what?"

"Of you not liking me that way," Virgil muttered before speaking more evenly. "Of screwing up a long-time friendship. Of making you feel uncomfortable about coming over to the house. If you weren't there, Alan would have been devastated. You were too special to our entire family to risk it. At least that's what I told John at the time."

"And what did John say?" Sarah asked.

Grinning again, Virgil squeezed her hand again. "That I was an idiot. He said the whole family knew you had a crush on me and that I should just ask you out. After the prom, I wanted to ask you out but you hurried out of the house so fast -"

Virgil sighed. "And then I never saw you again until less than an hour ago."

Squeezing his hand back, Sarah nodded. "Well, how about we start fresh, OK?"

"Sounds good," Virgil agreed.

Their appetizer was delivered and the wine was poured, before the server left, promising their dinner would be ready soon. Once the couple was alone again, Virgil stopped eating and asked a question that had been bothering him since his brothers first mentioned seeing Sarah again.

"Sarah Jane?"

Sarah looked up from the prosciutto she had been dicing into smaller pieces and smiled – the Tracys were the only people to call her Sarah Jane since she had left Kansas.

"Yes?"

"Why?"

"Why what, Virgil?" Sarah asked in confusion.

"Why did you become a firefighter? Well, a paramedic-firefighter, but still – Your whole family died in a fire and you almost died in that same fire? How could you become a firefighter?"

Sarah ate a piece of the prosciutto and swallowed a sip of the wine before answering Virgil's question.

"Virgil, do you know why I lived when the rest of my family died in the fire?" Virgil's shaking head had her continuing.

"My bedroom, unlike Holly's or my parents', was at the front of the house. Three off-duty volunteer firefighters were driving by and saw the flames. Luckily, they were also house painters by trade and were driving home from Bailey – I guess they had been painting Miss Millie's diner – so they had a ladder in the back of their pick-up. They were able to pull me out of the house. Unfortunately, they didn't have the equipment to go in and by the time the fire department got there -"

Sarah took a deep breath before grasping at her wine glass with a shaking hand. A quick sip calmed her enough to continue.

"They found Holly at the bottom of the stairs. They think her clothes caught on fire and she fell down the stairs, breaking her neck. At least she wouldn't have suffered. My parents were found together, just outside of my bedroom. The fire marshal thinks they were trying to get to me. I guess I was screaming pretty loud."

"Screaming?" Virgil asked weakly, needing his own sip of wine while he waited for Sarah to go on.

"Virgil, I suffered second and third degree burns, mainly on the upper half of my body. My hair didn't use to be this shade of red but the new growth came in like this. The glasses went because they had to reconstruct my nose and ears so I had Lasik done but I was now able to see during the more than six months of skin grafts and reconstructive surgery."

Smiling sadly, Sarah picked up a piece of fried calamari, eating it in order to let Virgil absorb her story.

"Most of the weight loss came from the liquid diet I was on. I couldn't eat anything solid because how sensitive my face was for ages."

"I didn't know," Virgil whispered.

Eating in silence for a moment, Virgil finally spoke again.

"Why were you burned so badly? How did the fire start?"

Sarah froze before swallowing what she was eating and taking a gulp of water to force it down.

"No one told you?" Sarah asked in surprise. When Virgil shook his head, Sarah explained.

"Did you know Holly was doing drugs?" At Virgil's surprised start, Sarah smirked.

"Yeah, not supposed to happen in Bailey, was it? Especially to Miss-Perfect, All-American Cheerleaders like Holly, right? But Mom and Dad found out and confronted her about it when she came home from prom. Holly freaked. I could hear her screaming before she took off."

Sucking in her breath, Sarah hesitated before she continued.

"The best the authorities could figure out later, Holly came back some time after midnight and started a fire in the upstairs hallway."

"How did it get so bad in your bedroom?" Virgil asked.

A waiter delivered a salad to each of them, taking away the appetizer before Sarah spoke once more, a bitter tone to her voice.

"It helped that Holly threw nail polish remover at my head and then set my bed on fire."

"What?" Virgil whispered, horrified.

Sarah chewed her lip, trying not to cry. "It would be hard for you to understand, Virgil. You would die to protect one of your brothers – any one of them would do whatever they could to protect you. My sister hated me so much she tried to kill me."

With a shuddering breath, Sarah went on. "My parents must have heard my screams. I think I heard them fighting with Holly down the hallway, trying to get to me. Somehow, I had gotten out of bed and managed to smother most of the flames. I passed out from the pain and woke up two weeks later in a burn unit in a Kansas City hospital. My family was dead and I had to choose – live or give up."

Virgil leaned across the table and kissed Sarah's cheek. "Thank you."

"For what?" Sarah asked in confusion.

Brushing his fingers over her cheek, Virgil smiled. "For being brave enough to keep living. Because I missed you the years you were gone. But I think I was always happy knowing you were out there, somewhere. All I had to do was find you."

"So why didn't you find me sooner?" Sarah asked as their meals were delivered.

"Maybe we both needed to grow up," Virgil said softly.

Raising her wine glass, Sarah offered a toast. "Here's to being grown-ups."

Gently clinking his glass to hers, Virgil smiled. "To being grown-ups," he echoed.

* * *

_**A/N - OK, there was the set up but all seems good...**_

_**Alan - Good? Lady, what are you planning to do to me?**_

_**CC - Now, Alan, I can't tell you that. It would spoil the surprises. All I can say is I am exploring new ground.**_

_**Virgil (walking in placing himself between Alan and CC) - Now, CC - I'll only ask you once - what are you planning?**_

_**CC (smirks) Well, Virgil, I can tell you one thing - John isn't the only one getting some loving in this story.**_

_**Virgil (stepping back) - Really? (squeeking slightly) Um, Alan...**_

_**Alan (sighs) - That is evil, CC.**_

_**CC - And this is news to you, how?**_

_**Virgil (looking over the chapter) - Does Sam1 know about this chapter?**_

_**CC - Yes, and she is still ticked about it. I personally do not believe in premarital sex - and yes, I will be able to say that to my daughter with a straight face and a clear conscience - but I am a realist. In the first series - and in case anyone is wondering, this series will be an AU of my Tracy Family Series, which, I guess, was kind of an AU to begin with - it was implied that Scott and Kate, then Virgil and Sarah were together before they got married. Gordon and Julie were obvious as Julie was pregnant when they got married. But John and Emily got married within days of meeting practically. This time, however, they meet in June, get engaged in August and will marry in December. Since I made it clear in Left by the Wayside that John became, um, active, in his teens so would it be shocking for the couple to wait. HOWEVER - I make it clear that there are choices.**_

_**Alan (sighing) I'm going to stay a virgin until I get married again, aren't I?**_

_**CC - Oh, yeah. Did I mention you are only a year older than my daughter?**_

_**Alan (grumbling) Only because you reset the clock.**_

_**Virgil - Alan, it's a good thing. You set a good example of being the mature one - scary thought there - and Dad's blood pressure will stay under control.**_

_**CC - Yes, because what is about to happen will endanger Jeff's BP enough. (Grins evilly at the wary look both brothers give her.) Buckle up boys - it's gonna be a bumpy ride.**_


	3. Chapter 3 A Hint of Shadows

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally List**

**Disclaimer - Not mine but that's ok. SNIFF, _Whimper_...I'm OK, really.**

* * *

**Chapter Three – A Hint of Shadows**

**_Earlier that day –_**

Elaina Roy – Lainie to most people – was practically glowing as she entered the lobby of Tracy Enterprises' Manhattan offices. Lainie tried not to gape but it was hard. Growing up in Bailey, Kansas, she had – like more than half of her graduating class – ended up working for Tracy Enterprises. The global conglomerate had offices all over the planet but had started in Bailey, Jeff Tracy's home town.

But just as Jeff Tracy had packed up his family and left town, Lainie had been determined to leave the small dot on the Kansas map. There were plenty of others who had started at the Bailey factory and with the training and educational opportunities Mr. Tracy had made sure were available to his employees, those with the ambition and drive found that the possibilities were endless.

It frustrated Lainie no end that it had taken her this long to get to the New York office. She was still as beautiful and as bubbly as she had been when she was co-captain of the cheerleading squad in high school. Unfortunately, the investigation into the tragic fire that had killed most of the Woodbury family after the Senior Prom had implicated Lainie in her co-captain's drug use. The fall-out had caused Lainie to lose her scholarship to Kansas State University and her step-mother had convinced her father that it would be a waste of money to "fund four years of partying". If Lainie wanted to go to college, she would have to find a way to fund it herself.

For the first couple of years after high school, Lainie had worked at Tracy Enterprises during the week and headed to her friends' dorms and off-campus apartments for wild parties. It had only been as the friends either left school or buckled down to studies in order not to be booted out of college, that Lainie found her party places drying up. Looking around Bailey, there was nothing that interested her. But with her looks –

After six months of frustration, Lainie finally began to take the advice of her supervisor. Weekends and evenings were now filled with part-time classes. With her associate's degree in hand, Lainie applied for openings in London, Paris and New York. To her delight, Lainie finally secured a position in New York.

Walking up to the front desk, Lainie preened for the security guard. "Excuse me," she said haughtily. "I am supposed to start here today."

"Name?" the man cheerfully asked.

"Elaina Roy."

Picking up a phone, the guard pressed a number. "Hey Helen," the man continued in his cheery tone. "The new secretary is here. You want me to send her up to five?"

Dismayed at the man's words, Lainie barely noted when he hung up the phone. It took two attempts for her to realize he was talking to her.

"Excuse me?"

"I said," the guard enunciated with a bit more force than was his norm. "Helen Colby will be down shortly. She's from HR. Have a seat," he said as he waved towards the couches lining the walls of the lobby.

"_Secretary? _" Lainie hissed as she headed to the couch nearest the elevators. There had to be some mistake. There just had to be.

Lainie sat there, fuming, for almost ten minutes before a forty-something woman came into her line of sight. The woman spoke to the security guard for a moment before turning to her with a smile. Walking towards the couch, the woman held out her hand in a friendly greeting.

"Hi, you must be Elaina. Welcome to New York," she enthused. "I'm Helen Colby, assistant director of human resources. If you have any questions, feel free to speak with me any time. I oversee all hires in the Towers. Jennifer Dietrich is Director of Human Resources but that is a junior executive position since she oversees the entire corporation. Let's get you up to HR to finish your paperwork so we can get you settled."

It wasn't until they were up in HR that Lainie finally looked up from her paperwork and asked a question.

"Um, Ms. Colby -"

"Helen is fine, dear. We're not very formal here. But you should know that. Your resume says that you have been working for Tracy Enterprises since you graduated high school. I know this is a lot bigger but Mr. Tracy wants everyone to feel like we are one big family, whether in Kansas or New York."

"Fine, Helen," Lainie began again. "The security guard called me a secretary -"

Laughing softly, Helen shook her head.

"Oh, don't worry. He calls everyone in admin support that. No, dear. You need to have at least a bachelor's degree to get a secretarial job at the Towers. Most have a Masters, since people who would be classified as a secretary here tend to be more along the lines of a PA – Personal Assistant."

Smiling and patting Lainie's arm, Helen shook her head. "You poor dear, thinking you were being tossed into a job you were ill-prepared for."

"The job title was Administrative Support Specialist," Lainie began, only for Helen to smile once more.

"I know, a fancy title for a file clerk, isn't it? But as you become more comfortable in your job, you'll receive on the job training so you can be more useful throughout the Towers. Once we find a nitch for you, we'll start looking for educational and training opportunities. It is one of the best things of working for Jeff Tracy – he believes in helping to create opportunities for his people."

It was with dismay that Lainie continued to listen to the woman prattle on.

"Now, I know you got settled fine. Nice apartment, isn't it? All of your neighbors work for Tracy Enterprises. Mr. Tracy bought the building years ago and renovated it. He poured money into it, but it is now self-funding. There are also some other buildings that went condo years ago. All Tracy staff. Why, otherwise you couldn't afford to live here in a place by yourself."

"It's just a one bedroom apartment."

Laughing again, Helen nodded. "Oh, my girl – you have no idea how much you would pay for a similar apartment even on the edge of New York, do you? Try two or three."

"Hundreds? That isn't so bad."

"That would be thousands," Helen corrected. "A month. Real estate in Manhattan is very expensive. So living only a short train ride to the Towers would cost you even more, if you could find it."

"Helen?" a new voice broke in before another woman entered. "Oh, sorry – I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Ann-Marie," Helen greeted. "Oh, no. We are fine. In fact, we are finished. I'll just need to bring Elaina to the eighth floor and get her started."

Turning to Lainie, she smiled. "You'll be assisting in the aviation engineering division for at least the next two weeks. If you really like it and they like you, you might find a permanent slot there. There is plenty of room for growth in several of our divisions at the moment."

Standing, Helen turned back to Ann-Marie. "What did you need?"

Ann-Marie smiled. "Virgil has a meeting in Boston today and needs some personnel files. If you will flag them for me, I'll send them to his smart phone."

"Virgil?" Lainie asked. "Virgil Tracy?"

Ann-Marie looked puzzled, but turned back to her. "Yes, Virgil Tracy. Why?"

Lainie smiled for the first time since she arrived. "Oh, I graduated from high school with Virgil. In fact, I was his date for the senior prom. I know the whole family."

Relaxing, Ann-Marie nodded. "Ah – I see. Well, there is a chance you could run into any of the boys. They all work for Jeff."

"Except Alan, of course," Helen laughed.

Chuckling, Ann-Marie nodded once more. "Give him time. I say two years at the most."

"Isn't -" Lainie barely stopped herself from saying the brat – "Isn't Alan – what – fourteen?"

"He turned fifteen in May," Ann-Marie smiled.

"Yes, just before…" Helen's voice trailed off as she froze and looked at Ann-Marie who nodded tightly.

"Yes, just before that horrible accident," Ann-Marie said with tears in her voice.

Helen turned to Lainie as she smiled tightly. "Ann-Marie has known the Tracys nearly as long as you have, Elaina. Why she baby-sat the older boys the day Alan was born."

"Actually," Lainie corrected, "she would have known them longer. I moved to Bailey just before I started high school. My mother was moving abroad and I – I wanted to stay in the States, so I moved in with my father and step-mother."

Lainie was not about to admit that her mother's latest lover wanted to return to his native country from Los Angeles where he had been living with her mother. When the choice came between a now teenage daughter – who could be a potential rival soon – and her wealthy boyfriend, there had been no choice for her. Lainie was shipped off to a father she barely knew and a step-mother that she held nothing but contempt for. Imagine – happy to work part-time in an accountant's office and raise three children! Forget that the accountant was Lainie's father and that the children were her half-siblings. In Lainie's eyes, the woman was plain and boring, and as such, was unworthy of notice.

"So," Lainie asked with faux cheerfulness as they approached the elevators. "How are the Tracys these days? It seems forever since they left Bailey. And who can believe what the reporters say, right?"

Ann-Marie smiled tightly. "We don't discuss our employer – or his family – do in their personal life. Suffice to say, the boys are all healthy and well. If you like, I can pass along a message to any one of them that you are now working here and inquired about their well-being."

Keeping her phony smile on her face, Lainie nodded. "Of course. Well – either Virgil or John would be fine. I'm sure they both remember me. I don't know if the others would as well."

Nodding back, Ann-Marie turned at the elevator banks and waived an ID card at a panel. Entering when the doors opened, she waived the badge at another panel inside the elevator and the doors closed, cutting her off from the other two women.

Helen smiled as she led Lainie to another elevator. "Ann-Marie wasn't being rude, dear. She loves those boys as if they are her own and she is fiercely protective of the entire Tracy Family. About once a year or so, rumors fly about her and Mr. Tracy, but they are just close friends and colleagues, so don't believe a word of it. And with the reporters harassing the family after Alan's accident and then there was that horrible bank robbery – Well, a reporter almost got John and Alan killed and no one is about to forgive and forget that."

When the doors opened, Helen walked off, making sure Lainie was following. "Well, come now. We'll get you comfortable so that Monday you can dig right in. And I know you'll hear this a lot, but welcome aboard. I just know you will love it here."

* * *

Alan Tracy sat under a large, majestic oak in the center of the courtyard, an electronic notepad on his lap and his English Lit text book next to him. Picking up a bottle of water, he leaned back against the tree and smiled. Alan loved being outside, in almost any weather, but couldn't wait until autumn. Living in the tropics, you missed the change of seasons, but Alan could still remember being a little boy in Kansas.

And the colors in New England were even more brilliant when the fall foliage would begin. While it surprised many locals, Alan could understand why people traveled from all over to view the show Mother Nature would put on in the Northeast every autumn. Alan had missed the foliage the last time and hadn't arrived at Wharton's until the end of fall – just after Thanksgiving, in fact – as he had been attending a boarding school in California up until that point. Remembering the Chemistry Lab there still made the teenager cringed and reminded him why he was taking biology for his science credit this year.

Thumbing through his books, Alan grinned at the classes, which had surprised his family. Well, John had known about the Astronomy class – he had even written the text book, thank you very much – but the look on their dad's face when he found out about the mechanical engineering course…It had been priceless.

Then again, the looks on his three remaining brothers when they found out his English Lit, Geometry and World History classes were all ones Alan had qualified for in Advanced Placement. Technically, his councilor had even said the engineering and Astronomy classes could be classified as AP, since they were usually only offered to Juniors and Seniors. Alan would be the only Sophomore in both of his classes. What a difference a year could make.

Feeling a slight twinge in the small of his back reminded Alan of other changes. Alan had supposed to have been a member of the track team this fall. But after having been run down by a drunk driver, Alan had been forced to put his athletic plans on hold. He hoped that he would get the all-clear at Thanksgiving to return to his pre-accident life.

Hearing a jet roar overhead, Alan leaned his head back and thought, "_Wuss_. _I've been in something a lot faster than you. I've even been behind the controls of her. You've got nothing on Thunderbird One."_

Sighing slightly, Alan felt a glimmer of home-sickness. But he knew how important it was for him to embrace this time of his life. Here he was Alan Tracy, and he was more than Jeff Tracy's son or "fill-in-the-blank Tracy's" kid brother.

Gathering up his books, Alan made his way back into the dorms. He wanted to send an e-mail to his father and to make sure Scott would have Columbus Day Weekend free. Warmth filled his heart when Alan thought of his oldest brother coming up and spending time with him. It never ceased to fill the youngest Tracy with a sense of wonder at how much he now knew that he meant to his family.

What a difference a year made…

* * *

"_What a difference a year makes," _Sarah thought as Virgil held the door of the restaurant open for her.

A year ago, she had been new to the fire department, and though she had casually known many of the emergency workers of Boston through her Aunt Harry, Sarah's natural timidity had kept her from getting to know many people. When you added in the fact that Sarah still saw "Sarah, plain and dumpy" every time she looked in the mirror, it made for a woman – no, a girl – who was reluctant to let anyone get close.

The members of her shift, the whole station really, had taken Sarah under their wing after Harriet had died, leaving the young woman alone in the world. Most people thought Sarah Woodbury had lost her family the night fire had ripped the house to pieces, leaving death in its wake. But to Sarah, she had lost her family the day the Tracys had moved away, leaving her behind.

But less than a month ago, Sarah had walked into a bank in Manhattan to treat a gunshot victim and ran right into her past. Alan and John Tracy had been there; before the day was done Sarah was reunited with Jeff and Gordon as well, plus she had met Emily Haas, the young woman John was to marry this Christmas…

"Did I tell you John invited me to his wedding?" Sarah asked as she led Virgil through the streets of Boston.

"He said he was going to," Virgil said. "Um, can you afford -"

"Can I afford a plane ticket to New Zealand?" Sarah asked, interrupting Virgil with a laugh. "Yes. I may not make a fortune as a firefighter, but when my Aunt Harry died, she left me her condo, which includes the condos on either side as rental properties. She also left me her late spouse's car. I have no real expenses."

"I don't remember you having an aunt," Virgil said in confusion.

"Well," Sarah drawled in a flat-lander tone, "that's because you can't be gay and from Kansas, can you?" Smirking at the surprise on Virgil's face, Sarah shook her head.

"My grandparents – that would be the Dunhams, not the Woodburys although they never wanted it known about their daughter-in-law's dirty, little family secret – never spoke to their daughter after she told them she was a lesbian shortly after graduating from Northeastern here in Boston. Hell, they flew home without her after the ceremony and told her not to come home until she got her head together."

Smiling, Sarah stepped up to a cart selling lattes and ordered a drink, waiting until both she and Virgil had their beverages before heading back down the street, enjoying the warm breeze from the Atlantic.

"The day Aunt Harriet married her partner," Sarah said quietly between sips, "my grandparents disowned her. But it turned out my Dad, with my mother pretending she didn't know, sent pictures and updates of us our whole lives. And when they died, their wills said my aunt was to be offered custody of me. But if she didn't want it, your father would have had custody."

Tears filled Sarah's green eyes, as she recalled her aunt. "Harry had buried her spouse a month before the fire. I guess from what people said, she was extremely depressed, what with no family to lean on. Dr. Atkins – her wife – was the last of her family as well. Then Harry gets a call from Jeff Tracy."

"Can you imagine that call?" Sarah asked wryly. "_Hi, you don't know me, since your sister moved to Bailey and your family hasn't acknowledged you since then but your sister, her husband and her oldest daughter are all dead. Your sixteen year old niece, Sarah Jane, is alive, but just barely. Do you want to come out?"_

Smiling mistily, Sarah turned back to Virgil. "She was there within six hours. As soon as I was stable, she brought me to the Shriners Hospital here in Boston. As I recovered, Aunt Harry made sure I was enrolled in on-line classes in order to keep me distracted."

"After getting my BA, I joined the paramedic program," Sarah explained. "Harry died less than a month later. I've kept busy with work since then, I really didn't have anything else."

"And now you do," Virgil said softly, brushing a strand of auburn hair back from Sarah's face with a smile.

"And now I do," Sarah smiled in return. "I've missed you, Virgil Grissom Tracy."

Leaning against Virgil, Sarah felt like her smile would never fade. Even as the sun began to set through the city, shadows that had begun to emerge couldn't begin to touch the light that filled Sarah's heart.

* * *

Lainie came back to the studio apartment that night, flipping open her laptop that she had babied along since high school and googling "Tracy". Finding a link to a blog by journalist Ana Nevada, Lainie began to look at pictures and videos that had been downloaded about the family she had known back in Bailey.

Pulling out all four years worth of year books from high school, Lainie thumbed through the pages, stopping whenever she hit a picture of a Tracy. John Tracy had only been a Senior when she was a freshman but she had always thought his quiet refinement was a turn-on. Then there was Virgil – the artistic one who also played football. Lainie had considered it a triumph when she scored him for her prom date. To her disgust, instead of an all-night party with the son of the richest man in town, she had been home by eleven, since Virgil had wanted to get home to his little brother, Alan, and Sarah Jane Woodbury who was baby-sitting the boy that night.

"_Lainie," Virgil said calmly, "I promised my Dad that I would be home before midnight. Grandma took Gordon to a swim meet, John is at college and Scott can't get leave until late. They are all trying to get back in time for my graduation tomorrow afternoon. It's not fair to Sarah Jane to ask her to stay all night. Well, unless she wants to."_

_Running a hand over his arm, Lainie leaned forward, showing her cleavage. "Well, instead of Sarah Jane Woodbury spending the night, I could."_

_Virgil looked at her in annoyance. "My little brother is in that house. What do you think I would do with him there then?"_

"_The little brat is asleep by now, right?"_

_Sighing deeply, Virgil pulled in front of Lainie's house. Getting out, Virgil moved around to open her door. "I'll see you at graduation tomorrow."_

_Virgil had waited until Lainie got to her porch before driving away. As soon as he was gone, she flipped open her cell phone and called Holly. _

"_Hey, Holly-wood! Where's the party? Yeah, send someone to get me, will you? Oh, Virgil? He ran home to your sister. If I were you, I would knock humpty dumpty off of her wall. OK – I'll see you soon."_

Tracing her fingers over a picture of her and Holly Woodbury, glorious in their cheerleader outfits, as co-captains of their squad, Lainie nodded in satisfaction.

"I'm right here, Holly. Virgil or John? Which one should I chase after? John was the one who turned you down but Virgil rejected me back on prom night. Maybe I should play them both. Living on that island, with just their family – Oh, this is gonna be good."

* * *

**_A/N - Anyone hate Lainie yet?_**


	4. Chapter 4  Light to Lead the Way

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**

* * *

**_

Disclaimer - I don't own the Tracys; I do own Lainie - but I may regret that by the end of the story because y'all really seem to hate her.

**Chapter Four – Light to lead the way**

Blinking sleepily, Virgil stirred. He thought he had heard – It almost sounded like a doorbell. One of the chimes on the communication's system?

Looking around, Virgil realized he wasn't in his own bed. Hell, he wasn't even on the Island. Glancing at the alarm clock by the bed, Virgil cursed and jumped out of bed, pulling on his jeans from the floor where he had dropped them the night before.

Running to the door, Virgil didn't even glance at the security system to tell him who was outside the door of the townhouse. Throwing open the door, Virgil exhaled when he saw Sarah standing on the front stoop.

Laughing, Sarah handed him a cup of coffee marked "Dunkin' Donuts". "Still have trouble getting your butt out of bed, don't you?"

"Time difference," Virgil muttered even as he downed a large gulp of the coffee – made just the way he liked it – and led Sarah into the living room.

"Whatever floats your boat," Sarah said cheerfully, taking a sip of her own coffee.

"You are way too cheerful in the morning," Virgil grumbled as he headed to the bedroom. "Give me a moment and I'll change."

Sarah chuckled again before letting herself wander around the room. Frowning as she continued to look around, she called back to Virgil.

"Please say this isn't a family home."

Virgil's voice could be heard from the other room.

"It is but it isn't. Dad hates hotels and none of us are crazy about them either. So in cities where we have offices, Dad bought some property. It can be used by family but also by the business for visitors. Since we also own the surrounding properties, it allows us to control who the neighbors are and gives privacy."

"Well," Sarah said calmly, "that explains why the place has all the personality of a hotel room. For all intents and purposed – it is."

Virgil laughed as he emerged from the bedroom, carrying his sneakers. "I should mention that to Dad. Maybe there is something we could do to make it a bit nicer."

Smiling, Sarah nodded at the bland painting above the fireplace. "You could start with that. Maybe some of your work would liven up the place."

"Oh!" Virgil said suddenly. "That reminds me." He turned and ran back into the bedroom, pulling on one shoe as he hopped on the sneaker-clad foot. Less than thirty seconds later, he walked back out, a flat package in his hands.

"Um, this is for you."

Sarah took the package and slowly unwrapped the heavy brown paper. A frame was revealed first, followed by –

"Oh, Virgil," Sarah said softly, tears in her voice.

It was a painting of the pond behind the Tracy home in Bailey. If you looked into the horizon, the viewer could see another house in the distance, a well-worn path connecting the two houses. While you could not tell who they were supposed to be – if you were not already in the know – six figures of varying sizes and hair color were walking on the path…

"It's the path between our houses, isn't it? And that's all of us, right?"

Virgil smiled over Sarah's shoulder. "I wanted you to have something to remember us by when you went off to college. I can't remember how many times we all walked you down that path to take you home."

Pointing to the two red-heads, he chuckled. "Gordon used to love having you around. Gave him another red-head in the house and made him feel a little less left out."

Sarah smiled, tracing the figures lightly. "I used to pretend it was my family as well. For all the time I spent there…"

Laughing as he slipped the framed art work into a canvas sack, Virgil gulped down some more coffee and led the way to out of the townhouse.

"So," he mused, looking around. "You said you wanted to take your car, right?"

"A day like today needs a convertible," Sarah said lightly, pulling gently at his hand. The pair moved part of the way down the street until Sarah turned to Virgil with a grin. "So? Would it pass the Tracy muster?"

Virgil was sure his jaw had dropped and wasn't sure if he was drooling, but frankly, he didn't care. Friends had always joked that the Tracy family had a "machine" gene, with a deep appreciation for a classically made piece of equipment. And what was in front of them definitely classified as that.

"A 1956 black Ford Thunderbird convertible, V8 with 225 horsepower. You know, most folks don't know it but the Thunderbird wasn't marketed as a sports car. But it still outsold the Corvette, which was considered it's chief rival -"

"Twenty to one," Virgil said absently.

"_Twenty-three _to one," Sarah corrected cheerfully, "at least for that year's model."

"Your aunt left you _this_?" Virgil asked incredulously.

Sarah shrugged as she opened the driver's side door and slipped into the seat. "Harry just left me everything. Her will read that "_anything not specifically stated in this document is to be given to my niece, Sarah J. Woodbury, so that she can live her life however she sees fit"_. Aunt Harry," she sighed, "was big on personal freedom. Having known my grandparents, I could understand that."

Grinning up at Virgil, she started the engine. "So – you coming or what?"

Jumping into the two-seater, Virgil laughed with sheer enjoyment. As they drove off, he had to ask –

"Any chance I can drive later?"

"Sure," Sarah said above the rushing air. "As soon as we get you back to your rental car." When Sarah caught Virgil's pout, she just laughed.

"Sorry, but you have to marry me to get to drive my baby."

Tugging lightly on a tendril of hair that had fallen loose from Sarah's braid, Virgil grinned. "I may have to consider that," he teased.

Grinning back, the two drove off for a day of adventure, all the while with Virgil thinking, "_Thunderbirds are go!"_

* * *

John ran through the corridors leading to Thunderbird Three's launching area, adjusting his uniform before getting to the big red rocket. A smirking Gordon was waiting on his brother.

"Really, John – what took you so long?"

Shrugging, John gave a small smile. "Just saying goodbye to Emily."

"You could have just called her," Gordon chuckled.

His smile grew as John made sure the supplies were fully loaded and secure before taking a seat next to Gordon. "Some things," John said, "are done better in person."

"I'm sure they are," Gordon leered.

"Hey, that is your future sister-in-law," John admonished.

"Which is why I would never say it in front of her – or Dad," Gordon laughed.

"_Then you better also make sure your radio isn't on," _Jeff's disembodied voice rang out.

"Yes, sir!" Gordon snapped to attention, giving John a chance to smirk.

"_And John – I understand how hard it is to say goodbye to Emily like this, but you knew what time I wanted to launch. Time yourself better next time."_

"Yes, sir," John said quietly. Jeff rarely had to lecture his second son but –

* * *

The library split apart, allowing the rocket to launch. As it roared through the sky, on its way to Thunderbird Five, Jeff watched from his office. The subtle scent of lilac surrounded him like a warm blanket.

"I know, Luc," Jeff whispered. "I can recall a few times when I ran late saying goodbye to you. But my commander gave me hell for it as well. It's not easy being their father and their boss. It's not easy doing anything without you."

From the doorway, Scott took a step back, not wanting his father to know he had heard such an emotional confession being pulled from the stoic man. Whistling a tune from high school, Scott made his entrance.

Jeff gave his firstborn a small smile as the younger man entered the room. Scott was clearly marked as his son, being the very image of Jeff at that age.

"Hey, Dad," Scott said cheerfully. "Alan called a little while ago. He said that Wharton's is having their family weekend Columbus Day Weekend and since you have that series of teleconferences then -"

"It's that weekend?" Jeff asked, clearly disappointed.

"Alan confirmed it with Ann-Marie," Scott said. "And he asked if I can come up and represent the family."

Jeff looked over his day planner, frowning. "Well, as long as nothing major comes up -"

"Dad," Scott said firmly. "We never made it to Family Weekends at his other boarding schools. As Brains always does his best to be there for Fermat. The world may need the Thunderbirds but Alan needs his family."

Jeff looked surprised for a moment then nodded slowly. It was time for him to be a father first. It was time to put his family first. Alan needed to come first. Like John said after the accident earlier that year – "Alan is our world".

"OK, Scott – Tell Alan you'll be there."

Scott grinned. "Already done."

Startled for a moment, Jeff laughed when he realized Scott had known what the result would be.

"After all these years of raising Gordon," he chuckled, "you think I would know when I have been played."

"Not played," Scott smiled. "But sometimes you do need to be reminded of a few things."

"Just wait," Jeff warned. "Someday you will meet a woman you can't intimidate and you'll be smart enough to marry her. Then when you become a father, we'll talk."

Leaving his father to paperwork – and heading off for some of his own – Scott gave a small sigh. He wished his father could understand – in so many ways, Scott was already a parent, having been as active in raising Alan. And Scott would be damned if Alan ever fell to the bottom of their priorities ever again.

* * *

Alan was reviewing his books and making some quick notes. His classes were far more challenging this year than they had been previously but he discovered that he was thriving on the work.

When Alan was first born – or so he had been told – the family had delighted in comparing the two blonde sons, wondering how much alike John and Alan would be. Scott and Virgil, who both looked so much like their father, had many similarities. Of course there were differences as well, with Virgil being more artistic and Scott having been born to lead, but both were athletic and determined, with a natural aptitude for machines.

Then again, that last one seemed to be a family trait.

Growing up, it had seemed that John and Alan were as different as could be. John was quiet, studious and a natural born peacemaker, while Alan was loud, skated by on his studies and chaos in theory. But so much had changed in the last six months. Alan would the first to now admit that much of his rebelliousness was his fear of losing his family. He had gone from being the center of their attention to virtually an afterthought. Between the Hood and the car accident – two events which had both almost cost Alan his life – the family went out of their way to make sure he knew he was loved and cherished. Knowing that his was an important part of the family, even when absent from the Island, gave Alan the courage to spread his wings and soar as high as he could.

Alan's musing was disrupted by a chime for the door. "Come in," he called as he put away his math book.

Tomo Wattame entered the room, grinning at the younger boy.

"Yo Tracy!" the now-Senior called out in greeting.

"Tom," Alan grinned back. "You so can't do street."

"Like you can, Blondie?" the Asian boy asked. His mother was the Japanese ambassador to the United Nations and his late father had been a senior executive at Tracy Enterprises Asian Division, so the two had met years before at a company function.

Coming over to where Alan was still sitting, he nudged Alan's shoulder. "Man, you are so non-street, you're not white, you're clear."

Chuckling at an old joke between the two, Alan changed the subject. "I tried calling you when I was in New York earlier in the summer. Your mom's housekeeper said the two of you had headed back to Kyoto unexpectedly."

"My grandfather was sick," Tomo said softly. "He died last week."

Shaking his head, Alan commiserated with his friend. "Sorry, man. I know how close you were since your Dad died."

Tomo nodded sadly. "But at the end, he really seemed at peace. You know, I was all the blood family he had left. My aunt died as a child, my grandmother and father died in the same plane crash – well, I'd like to think he was just ready to join them."

Touching a picture of his family from when his mother was alive as well as one taken during the summer, Alan smiled. "Sometimes that may be the case. And sometimes, I think they love you so much, that they just want to be able to watch over you always."

Looking at the picture, Tomo smiled. "Man, do you look like your mom. And that other blonde guy is your brother, John, right?"

Nodding, Alan laughed. "You haven't cracked your astronomy book yet, have you?" When Tomo shook his head, Alan just grinned. "John wrote it."

"So that's what Professor Jenovese meant?" Tomo gasped.

Confused, Alan gestured for his friend to continue, which he did.

"Professor Jenovese said that he wanted to talk to you about snagging a guest lecturer, since that person would probably been at Wharton's at some point anyhow."

Laughing again, Alan pulled out his iPhone. "I'll warn John that my astronomy professor wants to hit him up for a free lecture. He'll be picking me up for Thanksgiving with Emily anyhow. Maybe they can come in a day or so early."

"Who is Emily?" Tomo said in confusion.

Alan grinned as he stood up. "My brother's fiancé." Scrolling through the pictures on his phone, he came across one of the two brothers and their respective sweethearts, which he showed to his friend.

"She's pretty," Tomo said of Emily. "But who's the hottie?"

Snatching back the phone, Alan stuffed it in his pocket as they moved towards the door. "That is _my _girl, you perv. Eyes off."

Sighing, Tomo accompanied Alan out into the hallway. "I've said it before Tracy, and I'm saying it again. You have the damndest luck. It's like you have an angel on your shoulder."

"Maybe I do," Alan said lightly as they headed towards the exit.

_Thanks, Mom._

* * *

Having spent an enjoyable day wandering through the streets of Boston, playing tourist, something Sarah hadn't done much of during her time in New England.

"I hope this hasn't been too boring for you," Virgil said as they headed back to the parking garage near Copley Plaza.

"I haven't done it that much," Sarah shrugged as she pulled out her car keys.

"Why not?" Virgil asked. "All this history? I would have thought you would love it."

"One," Sarah said as she stopped, holding up a finger. "When I first got to Boston, I never saw the outside of the Shriners Hospital. Even after I was moved to a rehab center, between treatments and trying to get my degree, I didn't have the time, inclination or energy to play tourist. Then when I graduated, I went right into the paramedic program. I had barely gotten my boots when Aunt Harry had a massive heart attack and died. Since then, I have thrown myself into my work to -"

When Sarah's voice trailed off, Virgil stepped closer and put a hand under her chin, raising it so he could watch her eyes.

"So you could forget you were – for all intents – alone?"

Sarah slowly nodded and Virgil leaned in even closer.

"I promise you, Sarah Jane, you will never be alone again."

Before Sarah could say anything, Virgil pressed his lips against hers. Pulling back, afraid he had acted to hastily, Virgil was startled when Sarah grabbed his face and kissed him back. Swept up in the moment, Virgil continued the kiss until they finally broke apart.

"Um, I, um guess we should go get some dinner," Virgil stuttered.

Sarah's green eyes burned with fire. "Or we could have something delivered. To my place."

"Are you sure?" Virgil whispered, almost afraid of what Sarah had apparently suggested.

"Since I was fifteen I've been sure," Sarah said softly before leading Virgil back to the T-Bird.

The ten minute drive to her house from Downtown Crossing had never seemed so long.

* * *

_**A/N - Wow, I cam really presume you dislike Lainie. Wait - she gets worse.**_

_**Alan - She gets worse? CC, are you crazy?**_

_**CC - That has been debated at times.**_

_**Scott - Stop the debate. The decision has been made.**_

_**CC- Scott, I'd say something, but Jean would get mad at me.**_

_**Jean - You bet I would.**_

_**CC - Jean, what are you doing here?**_

_**Jean - You invited me, remember?**_

_**CC - Um, no. No, I did not.**_

_**Alan - Jean, admit it - you are stalking Scott.**_

_**Jean - Am not! Now, I would never chase Scott after Kate comes into the picture, CC shook up the introduction of the Tracy Wives. Kate will be brought in AFTER Emily and Sarah instead of before. So - since Kate isn't here to distract him, I am offering my services.**_

_**Scott - And as an officer and a gentleman, I will gladly accept.**_

_**Alan - Do you know what they are talking about?**_

_**CC - Yep. But you better not. You are still too close to my daughter's age.**_

_**Alan - OK, back to crazy lady - how much harm is she going to do?**_

_**CC - Nothing lethal. (Alan and Scott breath a sigh of relief until CC speaks again.) Well, nothing lethal to a Tracy. OCs are at my discretion. And remember - there was nothing lethal for you in Left By the Wayside.**_

_**Scott - OK, it wasn't lethal, but you ran him over, stopped his heart, caused an allergic reaction, emotionally traumatized him and sent the whole family off the deep end.**_

_**CC - Sounds about right. **_

_**Scott (sighs) - Oh, well. Did you at least make some chocolate cake?**_

_**CC - Nope, gingerbread cake - Jean likes it.**_

_**Jean - OOH, yeah. C'mon Scott - you will love this.**_

_**Alan (whispers to Scott) She's as nuts as CC.**_

_**CC - Why do you think we're such good friends? Cheers!**_


	5. Ch 5  Light Mixed With Shadows

**Light and Shadows**

**By Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - I would not, could not own them here. I would not, could not own them there. I could not own them anywhere. I could not own those Thunderbirds and have run all out of rhyming words.**_

_**Is anyone reading still?**_

* * *

**Chapter Five Light mixed with shadow**

Lainie Roy returned to her small apartment as the sun was rising over New York City. It had been fun to go out and party, even if she did have to make sure no one from work saw her. The only problem was Lainie knew so few of her co-workers, she could end up with one and never know the difference.

Unfortunately, that had happened.

_It had been somewhere around midnight when Lainie decided that pickings were a bit slim but that the guy who had bought her last two Appletini's was good enough. It's not like she was looking for life time commitment – just a few hours of enjoyment._

_His name was Vernon Hinkley, and he said he was a salesman. When he first started talking to her, Lainie hadn't been buzzed enough to listen. Had it been a few years ago, Lainie would have taken up the offers in the ladies' room for a quick hit of something-something. But she knew that Tracy Enterprises did random drug testing, so anything besides alcohol was out of the question. It took more than one or two servings of the vodka-based drink to give Lainie a buzz. She had been on her fourth appletini when she found herself agreeing to leave with Vernon._

_A few things had seemed off about him. He drove a car with New York plates – not a rental, she had checked – but he drove them to a no-tell motel in New Jersey. Vernon had claimed to be in New York for a few weeks but he only had an overnight bag. But the vodka was still in Lainie's blood stream and she was living for the moment._

_Before dawn, Lainie woke up when Vernon was in the bathroom. Listening carefully, she heard him assuring someone named "Betsy" that he was fine and that he would be home by lunch._

"_Betsy, honey, I know I was supposed to be home from that meeting at the Towers by nightfall. But something came up and you know what a task-master Mr. Tracy is. It just made sense to stay in the city rather than to try and drive home to Long Island. I'm sorry I forgot to call. Tell you what, you take the kids to church with your parents and I'll meet you all for brunch at the I-Hop, OK? Love you too, Babe."_

_While Vernon had been comforting the little woman, Lainie pulled out his wallet. Seeing the ID for Tracy Enterprises – right next to a picture of the "bachelor" with his wife and two kids – made Lainie go cold before a blinding fury overtook her. Reaching into her purse, Lainie grabbed the "toy" she had bought herself before coming to New York. _

Back in her apartment, Lainie pulled out the switchblade that she had wrapped in a towel and stuffed in her small clutch-purse. Seeing that the blood had seeped from the blade straight through the towel and onto the material of her purse made Lainie groan in frustration – the bastard had ruined her first weekend in New York _and her_ favorite bag.

Standing in front of the mirror, Lainie sighed before she smiled. Seeing her best friend beside her, Lainie just grinned. "Holly," she laughed at the image of the girl who lived only in her imagination. "Was that wild or what? Yes, I know – discreet. But that lying creep won't be telling anyone, now will he? I made sure of that. I can't let a jerk like that ruin everything. And luckily, none of his blood got on my clothes."

"But," Lainie pouted. "I still have to toss my purse. Oh, well," she sighed, pulling out the cash she had lifted from the adulterer's wallet, "he can pay for a new one. I'll get a few hours of sleep and then it's time to go shopping. Maybe even find a new outfit for tomorrow. It's a whole new day after all."

Singing softly to herself, Lainie went to get some sleep, casually tossing the blood-stained accessory away.

* * *

Virgil Tracy buried his head in the pillow before jerking awake. His pillow smelled – _different._

It took Virgil a moment to realize that he wasn't in his bed back on Tracy Island. He wasn't even in his bed at the townhouse…Looking around Virgil slowly began to remember where he was – and why he was so exhausted.

With a smile, Virgil got out of bed and pulled on his jeans, heading towards the sound of a radio and the smell of French toast.

Sarah Jane, dressed in shorts and an old t-shirt proclaiming "Bailey High School", was dancing in the kitchen, singing along to a song on the radio as she prepared breakfast. Virgil leaned in the doorway and grinned as he watched the show she was unknowingly putting on.

_You can try to resist  
Try to hide from my kiss  
But you know, but you know that you can't fight the moonlight  
Deep in the dark  
You'll surrender your heart  
But you know, but you know that you can't fight the moonlight  
No, you can't fight it  
It's gonna get to your heart_

Finally, Virgil couldn't resist – he burst into laughter and swept her into his arms.

"Virgil Grissom Tracy!" Sarah Jane squealed as he whirled her around in the small but comfy kitchen.

"Sarah Jane Woodbury," Virgil responded with a laugh before setting her down and nuzzling her neck.

Sarah giggled for a moment before swatting him away gently. "The French Toast is going to burn if I don't watch it."

Virgil took an appreciative sniff. "When did you learn to cook like that? It smells like Grandma's kitchen."

Without turning from the stove, Sarah began to remove the French Toast from the griddle before she answered. "Who do you think taught me how to cook?"

Pausing from pulling the orange juice from the fridge, Virgil glanced over his shoulder with a smile. "Well, no wonder it smells so good."

The couple worked in companionable silence, setting the table and putting breakfast on it before Virgil spoke again.

"Grandma use to say you were a rose ready to bloom." When Sarah just glanced up in confusion, Virgil smiled before he gently kissed her once more.

"Grandma always was the smartest Tracy."

Sarah smiled back and kissed him in return. "And do you like roses?"

"From now on," Virgil swore, "I never want to be without them."

* * *

Alan returned to his room from the late breakfast (something he loved about Sundays at Wharton's) and broke into a grin when he saw Fermat sitting at his desk.

"Fermat!" Alan called out cheerfully, moving quickly across the room to give his best friend what the Tracy's called a "bro-hug".

"H-hey, Alan," Fermat grinned as he straightened his glasses from Alan's enthusiastic greeting.

"So – how was D.C.?" Alan asked as he began to help his roommate unpack the last of his belongings.

"G-great!" Fermat practically gushed. "Y-y-you c-could sp-spend for-for – a long time in the Smithsonian. B-but D-Dad said we c-could go back later." Then Fermat's expression saddened before he continued.

"B-but I w-went w-with Pr-Professor Epstein's s-son and husband to the H-Holocaust M-Museum while sh-she and D-Dad were at a m-meeting. It was s-s-so sad. H-how c-could p-people do that t-to other p-people?"

Alan looked thoughtful for a moment before he said anything. In the moment of silence, Fermat marveled at how much his friend had changed. Somewhere in the last year, Alan had really learned to think before he spoke.

"I asked John once," Alan mused, "why some people are always saying things should be done for the greater good. I mean, our family tries to help others – and not just by donations like some people would. I mean, you know how much good they have done, right?"

When Fermat nodded, Alan continued.

"But some people are all about "It's for the greater good" like that makes it all right. John said that when you think of all the loss – of life, of property, of potential – Well, some people have to believe it was and will be for the greater good. Because to imagine that degree of sacrifice and loss for something that never existed is sadder that the loss to begin with."

Fermat played with his laptop case for a moment before stashing it under his desk. "J-John sure is sm-smart," the younger boy observed before a small grin stole onto his face.

"S-sure you two are related?"

A pillow thrown in his face – accompanied by a gesture Jeff Tracy would _not_ have approved from one of his sons – was Fermat's only answer. But the laughter that soon filled the room assured them both that things were once more, back to normal.

Or as normal as their lives ever got.

* * *

"So," Virgil asked as he loaded the last of the breakfast dishes and started the dishwasher. "I know you have to be at work by four -"

"What time do you have to fly back to the Island?" Sarah countered.

"I'm tentatively scheduled with a 1700 take off time," Virgil answered before continuing.

"Anyhow – anything you'd like to do? Or," he leered slightly, "do I get to choose?"

Sarah giggled as Virgil nuzzled the back of her neck with his face, tracing the curves with butterfly kisses.

"You are definitely your father's son," she laughed breathlessly.

Before Virgil could respond, Sarah's phone rang. "Let the answering machine get it," he protested as she pulled away.

"Virgil," she explained, "most people don't have my home phone number. It could be important."

Sarah answered the phone while Virgil sprawled into a nearby chair.

"Hello?"

"_Hey, Woody," _Tommy's voice came through clearly.

"Hey, Tommy – what's up? We need to report early?"

"_Nope – but the wife has issued an order from on high – ouch!"_

Sarah giggled, correctly guessing that her partner's wife had objected to the way he had phrased that.

"_Anyhow – I take it the old friend from Kansas is still in town, right?"_

"Yes, he's due at the airport shortly after the start of shift. Why?"

"_OK, Woody – change of plans. Bar-B-Q at my house, grill gets lit at 11:30 and steaks will be done by noon."_

Looking at Virgil, Sarah shook her head while he nodded. "Um, Tommy – I'm not sure that is such a good idea. I mean, Virgil may not want to -"

Suddenly, Virgil snatched the phone from Sarah's hand.

"We'll be there. Do you need us to bring anything?"

The dead silence on the other end made Sarah and Virgil wonder if the connection had been lost when Tommy's voice came back on the phone.

"_You can pick up some ice cream. Sarah knows what kind. And Virgil? You and I are going to be having a little chat when you get here, got it?"_

Sarah looked on in shock, not sure if she was more stunned by Tommy's silent threat or Virgil's cheerful acceptance of the threat.

"Virgil?" she asked as he hung up the phone. "You do realize he wants to give you the third degree, preferably with torture devices?"

"I'm just glad," Virgil said, pulling her into an embrace, "that someone else was here to look after you when we weren't. Scott and John will be glad someone else was playing big brother."

"But what about you?"

Virgil kissed her passionately before pulling her towards the shower.

"I'm glad they kept you safe until we both grew up. Now let's get cleaned up, get some ice cream and hope your partner doesn't burn the steaks while he is busy interrogating me."

Laughter rang down the hallway as Virgil listened to Sarah's muttered comments about "Tracy boys and their stomachs". Nothing was going to ruin their happiness this time.

* * *

Emily Haas smiled as she handed a student nurse the electronic pad for the ward.

"And Angie? Make sure that the pediatric neurologist is called in for a consult," Emily reminded her.

"I will, Dr. Haas," Angie said, pausing for a moment as she watched the doctor, who wasn't much older than her, begin to review files on other patients who had recently been through the Emergency Department.

"Dr. Haas?" When Emily looked up with a gentle smile, the student nurse was emboldened. "Some of the other nurses were talking and they said you were getting married."

"I am," Emily confirmed, holding up her left hand where the sapphire and diamond ring glittered like the stars at night.

"Are you really giving up being a doctor for that?"

Emily chuckled. "No. I'm not giving up being a doctor. My future father-in-law's company funds a charitable trust that will be starting up a medical clinic that will be bringing specialized and general care to some of the more remote area in this part of the world. I'll also be consulting in emergency response for the Tracy Charitable Trust."

"Tracy?" Angie asked in amazement. "Like Jeff Tracy?"

Nodding slightly, Emily nodded. "I'm marrying his son, John. He's an astronomer and an author."

"And he's ok with you working like that?" Angie gasped.

At that Emily had to laugh. "Oh, Angie – the Tracys are all a bunch of type-A work-a-holic, over-achievers that I tend to fit in _very _well. No one even blinked at the idea that I was practicing medicine before I turned 21. All that mattered to them was that I love John and John loves me."

"My grandma always said that was the only thing that really mattered," Angie said shyly.

Emily's blue eyes became slightly sad for a moment. "My Grandpere use to say the same thing," she sighed before shaking herself.

"Now, Angie – enough gossip. We both have plenty of work to do."

"Yes, Dr. Haas," Angie answered cheerfully before walking away. As she got on the elevator, she glanced once more at Dr. Haas, who had returned to her charts. _She really is so nice – too bad she's leaving, _Angie sighed in her head. Compared to some of the other doctors…

Emily had burned through the rest of her charts and was getting ready to head up to her office when her cell phone rang. Pulling it from her pocket, Emily answered without looking at the ID.

"Dr. Haas," she said firmly.

"_Hello, Dr. Haas," _a soft voice answered. _"Do you have a prescription for a lonely man?"_

Emily chuckled as she opened the door to the stairwell and began to move up the stairs. "Take two cold showers and remember that I'll make it up to you when you get home."

John laughed before he responded in a slightly husky voice. _"Sounds like I may be on that prescription for the rest of our lives."_

"Not that I don't live for the sound of your voice," Emily sighed, "but I know you wouldn't be calling me at work from work if there wasn't something that you thought would bother me."

A moment of silence filled the air before John chuckled. _"Remind me to never try and sneak anything past you again."_

"You can make it up to me with some adult conversation later," Emily teased. When John didn't respond, she sighed once more. "Seriously, Starman – what is it?"

"_A reporter called Ann-Marie to see if Dad would confirm or deny our engagement."_

"Not Ana Nevada?"

John laughed again. _"Nope. She's learned to keep her nose away from us – at least for the moment."_

"Good," Emily said firmly. "Because I have no problem breaking that nose again."

"_No, it's a reporter from the New York Tribune. Kiki Rhys-Davies. And she did a thorough background check. She said if Dad gives her the exclusive to break the news of our engagement, she'll be sure to give your split with your family a spin in our direction."_

Emily leaned against the wall in the stairwell. Nodding, she agreed. "Too many New York society reporters are afraid of offending Susan Haas. I remember her cussing about Ms. Rhys-Davies because she couldn't intimidate her."

"_Does your mother -"_

"Susan," Emily interrupted. "I refuse to acknowledge that woman as family. Your family is my family now."

Now it was John's turn to sigh. _"Fine, Susan. Does she know who you are marrying?"_

Emily's smirk was in her voice. "She'll know on Monday. Don't worry – you'll know when it happens. You'll hear her from work."

"_Emmy – I work in space."_

"You'll still hear her. The Queen Bee is gonna be pissed." Emily grinned. "I wish I could be there."

"_Emmy – you can be scary."_

"And don't you forget it, Starman," she laughed before hanging up.

She wondered if she could convince the reporter to try and get a quote from Susan. Preferably with the cameras rolling.

* * *

Jeff was sitting at his desk when a call came in. Seeing it was Alan, he quickly answered it. His heart stilled when he saw how upset Alan looked.

"Allie – is something wrong?"

Alan nibbled his lip before answering. "Dad, was John here for my birthday?"

Startled, Jeff nodded before smiling a bit sadly.

"How did you know?" Jeff asked.

Alan held up three pictures. "A friend of mine took some pictures of us at the Snack Shack."

Glancing at the pictures, Jeff nodded again. John had told him about how some of Alan's friends had arranged for pizza and a cake so that they could also celebrate his youngest son's birthday before John took his brother off campus.

"I invited him up here because I thought he had never been here before," Alan moaned. "Why didn't he say something? Why don't I remember?"

Jeff sighed. "Alan, the doctors told us that some of your more recent memories could be lost because of the trauma from the accident."

"What else may I not remember?" Alan groaned.

Smiling, Jeff touched the image of his son. "Alan, you remember almost everything. You can walk, you are _alive. _If something comes up and you don't remember, ask someone you trust."

Alan nodded. Picking the pictures back up, he smiled sadly. "Did we have a good time?" Alan asked.

Jeff's smile grew. "John said it was one of the best weekends of his life. You hung out, goofed off and even showed him your hidey-holes."

His eyes went wide at that before Alan laughed. "No way! I showed them to John? Well, he is the only one who wouldn't rat them out-"

"Nope," Jeff laughed. "But Fermat did show them to the police. He had to!" Jeff said when Alan looked annoyed. "They had to make sure you weren't just hiding."

Alan sighed. "Dad, I was not hiding, I was unconscious."

Almost immediately, Alan regretted his words. He hadn't seen his father looking so haunted in a long time. But before he could say anything, Jeff shook off his dark mood.

"But you are alright now, Alan," Jeff said comfortingly. "And if you need anything, just call. We love you, you that – right?"

Alan smiled again. "Yeah, Dad. I know."

* * *

Virgil leaned back, smiling as he watched Sarah Jane playing peek-a-boo with Captain Delgado's youngest son.

"She's great with kids," Fran Thomson said as she handed the young man a glass of tea.

"She always was," Virgil agreed as he took a sip.

"You're in love with her," Frannie smiled.

Virgil grinned. "I saw her on Friday and it was like I felt whole again. I didn't even know what I was missing until I found her again."

Nodding towards the other fire fighters milling around the back yard, Frannie laughed. "Well, they tend to be a bit overprotective of their little girl. You'll be back for more grilling, I presume?"

"As long as it involves actual grills," Virgil laughed causing heads to turn when Frannie joined in his merriment.

"Woody was right," she gasped between laughter. "Feed a Tracy boy and he'll follow you anywhere."

* * *

_**A/N - So for the reader who wondered about Alan saying John had never been to Wharton's...Will this come in some other ways? Maybe. I'm evil enough. Oh, and I don't own the song "Can't Fight the Moonlight" either. But it is a cool song. - CC**_


	6. Chapter 6 The Light of Love

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

**Disclaimer - Nope. **

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Chapter Six – The Light of Love

Virgil stumbled out to breakfast the next morning, his father and brother Gordon grinning in amusement while Scott frowned in concern.

"You that tired, Virgil?"

"Or did you have that good a time in Boston?" Gordon leered.

Virgil frowned at his next youngest brother before turning to their father.

"The work on the new project is all set, Dad," Virgil said, smiling thanks to Onaha as she handed him a cup of hot coffee. Virgil swallowed half of the steaming brew before continuing.

"But it's heading into a critical phase," he said as he poured a glass of orange juice. "I think we should make sure one of us stays on top of it."

"Which, of course, means one of us needs to head to New York fairly frequently," Jeff responded as he hid a small smile.

"I could do it," Gordon spoke up, ignoring the death glare Virgil sent him.

"No," Jeff mused, taking a sip of coffee before buttering a slice of toast. "Virgil started this project and is more familiar with it than any of us. If one of us is needed state side for it, it should be Virgil."

Nodding at his middle son, Jeff finished his toast before excusing himself from the table. "Oh, and Virgil, I may just have you represent our interests in other things until the project wraps itself up. It will save the rest of us from heading to New York unnecessarily."

Leaving Gordon and Virgil eating, Scott jumped up to follow his father into the hallway.

"Dad," Scott called softly, catching up to Jeff half-way to his office. When Jeff turned to look at Scott, the younger man sighed.

"What's up with that? You are always telling me that we hire the best so that we don't have to be at Tracy Enterprises all the time. And now you want Virgil to be spending time in New York. Away from the island? Away from International Rescue?"

Jeff sighed and shook his head. "Scott, if there is one thing that the whole mess with the Hood taught me was that family is important. And I want you boys to be happy."

"Yes," Jeff held up his hand, avoiding the argument Scott was about to launch into. "I know – you all want to be a part of International Rescue. You want to be Thunderbirds. But the greatest joy in my life was your mother and the children God blessed us with. I want that for all of you as well. And with the exception of Alan, none of you have the chance to meet someone else. Not that I wouldn't have minded Alan meeting his soul-mate a bit later in life," Jeff muttered.

"John met Emily," Scott argued.

"By sheer chance and some matchmaking by Alan's doctor after the accident," Jeff grinned. "Shana admitted to me that she knew her friend had all of John's books and thought the two of them could hit it off. It was why she made sure he saw her picture first."

"So you think Virgil could meet someone in New York?" Scott asked in surprise.

"No," Jeff said calmly as he began to turn away. "I think the drive from New York to Boston isn't all that long, less time if he takes Tracy Two. I think Virgil wasn't at the townhouse in Boston Saturday night. ALL of Saturday night. And I think he didn't punch in his security code to get his things from there until less than an hour before his scheduled departure time at Logan. I think Virgil was interested in Sarah Jane back in Kansas and I think he finally acted on it. Your mother and grandmother both always thought the two of them were destined to be together and I want to give them a chance to find that out for themselves."

"Sarah Jane?" Scott muttered incredulously as he walked back to the kitchen to finish his breakfast. He was almost there when he saw Virgil's sketch pad on a low table. Picking it up, the elder brother flipped it over and felt his jaw drop.

On the opening page was a woman who held an earthy kind of beauty, far removed from Emily's ethereal looks, but a vision none the less. Her auburn hell fell in soft waves around her shoulders and her full lips were lifted in a secretive smile that was clearly destined only for the one she loved. But it her brilliant green eyes – done to perfection by Virgil's colored pencils – that drew the viewer in. They sparkled and shone with humor and love – and even if they were no longer behind a pair of thick glasses - Scott clearly recognized the eyes of the little girl who had grown up down the road from his family.

"Sarah Jane, did you grow up or what?" Scott said with a smile before setting the sketch book back down, trying to hide that he had even see it.

Scott began to walk back towards the kitchen once more when he froze. "Oh, crap," he muttered with a frown. "Now two of my younger brothers are probably getting married before me. I so need a life."

* * *

Emily Haas was just finishing up with a patient and smiled at the ten year old boy.

"Now, Brett – the next time your brother bets you that you can't fly," she sighed as she shook her head. "Well, I hate to tell you, but in that one, Joey is right."

Turning to Brett's anxious parents and slightly embarrassed older brother, Emily smiled once more. "He'll be fine, if sore. Dr. Phelps is one of the best orthopedic surgeons in the area and he will do a consult once Brett is settled in his room. I've sent him the scans and Dr. Phelps feels if his consult concurs with what I sent him, surgery is the only option to set the bones. Brett may even need a pin or two. It was a bad break. Most likely, the surgery will be tomorrow in order to allow us to monitor Brett overnight."

"That's alright?" Joey gasped.

"Considering your little brother jumped off the attic roof, a twenty five foot drop," Emily said wryly, "he's lucky it's not worse. But it was a compound fracture and anytime the bone breaks the skin, extra precautions are needed."

Seeing Joey's lower lip tremble as he fought to hide any tears, Emily put a finger under his chin and raised the twelve year old's face so he had to look her in the eye.

"Hey, I'm not an elder sibling, but my fiancé is. And if there is one thing his family has taught me, it's that we can hurt family way easy even if we don't want to – but that big brothers will do what every they can to look out for their little brothers. And you are not ever going to let anything happen to Brett again, are you?"

Joey shook his head furiously and, with one last thanks from his parents to Emily, the pre-teen followed the rest of his family as the stretcher was wheeled up to pediatrics.

Emily watched the family move away and was about to finish the file when her phone buzzed softly. Pulling it from her smock pocket, Emily frowned when she saw who it was.

"Alan? Sweetie? Are you alright?" Emily asked frantically as she headed into an empty cubicle for some privacy. "Any pain? Have you been overdoing it? Get to the infirmary immediately and I'll set up a telephone consult -"

"Emily!" Alan interrupted, almost laughing when his brother's fiancée stopped quickly.

"Sorry, Sweetie," Emily laughed softly. "I was just worried that, well -"

"It's ok," Alan interrupted again. "Worrying is what family does for each other." Alan was pleased to note how happy that expression made the young physician.

"Emily," Alan asked hesitantly, "did you know I am not, well – did you know about the swiss cheese in my brains?"

Chuckling lightly, Emily shook her head. "Sweetie, you suffered a head injury. That, combined with the delay in treatment, can result in some memory loss. We're lucky it's not more. And you may regain some of it. John noted that an event that you hadn't recalled right after the accident you casually mentioned after the robbery. Some of your memory may come back in a flash, while others will blend in so seamlessly you won't even notice."

"So I'll get all of my memories back," Alan sighed in relief only to freeze when Emily didn't answer.

It took a moment before Emily could answer. "I'm sorry, Alan, but I can't guarantee some memories will ever come back. They may be lost forever."

"But what am I supposed to do?" Alan fussed.

Emily just smiled gently at the teen she already loved as a little brother. "You get to make new memories. We'll all help. And I'll tell your family to be willing to acknowledge gaps in your memory."

"Yeah," Alan grumbled, "but if Gordy tries and claims I owe hims ten bucks, I refuse to believe him."

Laughing Emily shook her head. "Sweetie – Gordon would never try and claim you owe him ten bucks. He'd go straight for twenty."

The two blondes both laughed. Emily then made Alan promise to call her with even the slightest concern. "If only to keep your father's blood pressure down," the doctor chuckled. Frowning, Emily made a note on her i-phone. "Maybe we could see about cutting back on his caffeine intake."

Alan laughed again. "I wish you luck with that. Dad and coffee have had an unholy alliance for years. They are an unmovable object."

Emily just smiled as she signed off, all the while thinking of what her grandpere used to tell her in these situations –

_Unmovable object, meet unstoppable force of nature._

* * *

Lainie Roy kept her phony smile on her face the entire morning. The work had been boring as hell, nothing relevant had been given to her at all. As noon had approached, a young designer, Lisa McCallister, had offered to show Lainie to the dining room on the second floor.

She had expected a similar setting as the plant in Bailey. In many ways, Lainie had felt as if she had never left high school, with the metal tables, cafeteria servings and plastic chairs. Lisa grinned when Lainie stopped dead entering the dining room.

"Nice, isn't it?" Lisa joked. "Some people go out for lunch, but the food here is quick and good – especially for the price. Everyone from the janitorial staff to executives eat here. Once," she confided, "I even had lunch the next table over from Scott Tracy."

"Do you ever see any of the other Tracys here?" Lainie asked, whispering as she recalled Ann Marie's vehement words about not talking about the family at work.

"Not Mr. Tracy," Lisa said. "If he's here, he rarely leaves his office. Sometimes, he does go up to his place."

"His place?" Lainie queried in confusion.

"Oh," Lisa laughed. "The Tracys have a penthouse apartment on the top of the towers. I helped Ann-Marie bring some stuff in there once. From what little I saw of it, it's nice. I can't blame Mr. Tracy – or any member of the family - for heading up there. The only reason Scott Tracy was eating down here was he had his little brother with him and the kid had a migraine."

"Poor Alan," Lainie said sarcastically.

The sarcasm completely escaped Lisa when she looked surprised at Alan's name.

"You know Alan?"

Lainie made sure here phony smile was still plastered on her face. "Yes, remember, I grew up in Bailey. In fact, my best friend was the sister of Alan Tracy's baby-sitter."

Lisa chuckled. "You mean they actually trusted someone outside of the family with their baby? I find that hard to believe. I always thought my dad was overprotective until I saw Jeff Tracy with his youngest. And I've heard that all his older brothers are like that as well?"

"Well," Lainie smiled as she joined the other woman at the cooler and pulled out a salad. "The Tracys always presented a united front. And they practically considered Holly's sister as a Tracy. Her and Jeannie Bates could be seen with them all the time, just one of the boys."

Leading the way to a table near a flower-filled balcony, Lisa nodded to the others at the table. "Room for two more?"

A chorus of affirmative answers had Lainie and Lisa joining the now filled table. Lisa quickly introduced everyone to Lainie before introducing the newcomer.

"And this is Elaina Roy – but she prefers Lainie. Lainie is just starting with us but she's worked at the Bailey, Kansas Plant for years."

"So how are you liking the big city?" Cathy, a programmer for IT asked with a smirk.

"Its fine," Lainie nodded. "And I have been to large cities before. In fact, I lived in LA until I was fourteen."

"Have you heard the AG?" Jill, who worked in human resources, asked.

"AG?" Lainie responded in confusion.

"Authorized Gossip," Cathy chuckled. "The Tracys like their privacy but if it appears in the media no one gets in trouble for discussing it. Facts the Tracys don't mind and understand a natural curiosity from their employees."

"Did they publish John's engagement announcement?" Lisa smirked.

"Wait," Jill gasped. "How did you know?"

"I have my sources," Lisa said smugly.

"John's engaged?" Lainie asked in surprise.

"Yep," Jill sighed, a sound that was torn between sadness and humor. "One of the oh-so-delectable Tracy boys is off the market."

"Does it say who she is?" a young man with acne still littering his face – Lainie couldn't recall his name or department – asked.

"You don't read the society page much, do you Clyde?" Jill snickered. Turning back to the other women, she grinned as she picked up her i-Pad and, after touching an icon to initiate an app, Jill began to read aloud.

"_Jefferson Tracy announced today the engagement of his son, John Glenn Tracy, to Dr. Emily Haas. John Tracy, the second son of Jefferson Tracy and his late wife, Lucille Keith Tracy, is a graduate of Harvard University, a former astronomer for NASA and is currently employed as a researcher for Tracy Enterprises. In addition, he is the published author of five books on astronomy and while serving aboard the International Space Station, John Tracy discovered a previously unknown star, which he named in honor of his late mother._

_Emily Anne Haas is a graduate of Columbia University and a rare graduate of the elite Bieterman Program at Harvard Medical School. The granddaughter of the late humanitarian, Dr. Daniel Hebert of New Hampshire, she used part of her inheritance from him – which conservative estimates placed at somewhere around twenty million dollars – to fund a medical program and educational resources to operate the program, in Northern New Hampshire where Dr. Hebert had championed care for rural communities near the Canadian border. Dr. Haas has followed in her grandfather's footsteps, having become an emergency medical specialist at Mercy General Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand after an internship at Massachusetts General Hospital and a brief stint at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Haas also operates a program to bring health care to medical emergencies as well as rural communities in New Zealand. _

_In concurrent news, Tracy Charitable Trust announced the funding for a charitable clinic to be placed in Akoroa, New Zealand, which will be headed by Emily Haas. "The couple met when John Tracy sought out Dr. Haas for her advice on the project," a spokesperson for the Tracy Family said. "Obviously, the family is pleased to not only to have found the perfect person to lead the project as well as a soul-mate for John."_

_The couple plan to wed sometime around Christmas, but exact details are not being made available for security reasons."_

"Is there a picture?" one of the other file clerks asked, having leaned over from her table as the story was read aloud.

Jill enlarged the picture accompanying the article before passing it around for everyone to see.

Lainie waited impatiently for the device to come to her before simply leaning over Lisa shoulder as she took hold of the i-Pad.

John was still blonde and good-looking, but Lainie couldn't recall ever seeing the second Tracy son looking so happy. In his arms was a tiny, delicate woman with hair that looked like spun gold and sapphire blue eyes which glowed with joy. Her left hand was raised to clasp John's right at her shoulder, with an exquisite sapphire and diamond ring showing clearly. The couple were smiling but not at the camera. Instead their focus was solely on each other and their love for each other was visible.

Lainie listened to the cooing and bright comments all the while thinking, _"Beautiful, super-smart, loaded – __**and **__she is going to marry a Tracy?" _

A part of the young woman was ready to make a nasty comment when she looked up and saw Holly smiling at her, the sneaky grin that her friend always wore before she'd make someone pay for slighting one of them. _"Don't worry Lainie. You can still make a play for John later. Get your hooks into Virgil and John's guard will be down around you. You can have your cake and eat it too. Once you have him, it will be payback for John ignoring me and he'll never admit it because it would hurt his brother. But it will destroy his future with his perfect princess. A win-win, Lady Lainie. A win for you and a win for me, your own Holly-Wood."_

Jill happened to glance over at Lainie and almost dropped the i-Pad. She may not have been Catholic but the HR worker had the overwhelming urge to cross herself. Jill looked around to see if anyone else had noticed but no one seemed to. As she slipped her device into an oversized shoulder bag, Jill made a mental note to keep her distance from the other woman. Jill wasn't sure what it was because Lainie seemed to be a bright, personable newcomer but her grandmother had always told her to trust her instincts.

Her instincts were telling Jill to get the hell away from Lainie Roy.

* * *

Sarah Jane lay back on her bed, looking up at the ceiling before trying to close her eyes. It had been a hard, long shift but a good one. There had been no major accidents or fire. Just plenty of what Grandma Tracy used to call "organized confusion".

Working the overnight shift after having been on days previously always took a day or two of adjustment but having spent so much time with Virgil had given her a combination of an adrenaline high and exhaustion that work was done as easily as sleep.

Thinking of Virgil, Sarah smiled as she reopened her eyes. They had hung the painting Virgil had given her in her bedroom, much to the man's surprise.

"_Are you sure you don't want to hang this in the living room," Virgil had muttered around the nails in his mouth as he tried to balance the hammer and position the painting. _

"_Nope," Sarah had said from the bed, where she pulled on a sock before climbing down to search for her sneakers. "I want that to be the last thing I see before I go to sleep and the first thing I see when I wake up."_

_Virgil had set the two nails in the wall and hung the painting before turning around to see Sarah's head half-hidden under the bed as she pulled out her sneakers. Moving over silently, he reached down and grasped Sarah by the waist, pulling her up and pressing the red-head against his own body._

_Sarah squealed, dropping the sneaker in her hand so that it fell to the floor, bouncing against the shoe she had already pulled out. "Virgil," she cried out, laughing as he tickled her sides. "Cut it out!"_

"_So you want that to be the thing you wake up and go to sleep to?" he asked as he kissed the curve of her neck. "I'd rather I was."_

_Her laughter ceased as Sarah turned in his arms. Kissing Virgil passionately, Sarah drew back and smiled up at him. _

"_I'd rather you were as well. But for now, I'll have to settle."_

_Virgil looked sad for a moment. "I never want you to have to settle again. We'll find a way, Sarah Jane. I can't lose you again."_

"_You won't," Sarah promised._

_Virgil began to kiss her again until the pair remembered that they were about to be late for the bar-b-que. And that, they agreed, simply would not do._

Turning slightly on her bed, Sarah was about to close her eyes again when she noted a folded piece of paper on her bedside stand. Picking it up, Sarah turned on the lamp and unfolded the paper to examine what it was.

With a smile, Sarah smoothed it down and propped it against the lamp, turning down the light to just be a kind of nightlight. The image of Virgil done as a Rockwell-like self-portrait made her smile, as did what he had written beneath it.

"_Until the next time we can wake to each other."_

As she surrendered to sleep, Sarah almost startled awake when a sudden coldness washed over her only to be pushed back by a warmth as if someone was holding her close.

Finally falling asleep as the exhaustion claimed her, Sarah didn't even consider the smell of lilacs tickling her senses.

Considering she had nothing with that scent in her home and the bloom was long past being in season. But the scent lingered as if casting a web of protection over her sleeping form.

* * *

_**A/N - There, now that wasn't so bad...**_

_**Alan - Not so bad? In the last two chapters, Lainie has killed someone and it's been revealed that I am missing some of my memory. And I know you - that will come back to bite me later, won't it?**_

_**CC - Which part - Lainie killing someone or your memory?**_

_**Alan - Knowing you - BOTH!**_

_**CC - Well, the long-term affects of your memory loss will have a ripple effect - and it will be bad. As for Lainie, see I was really ticked at someone so - I had Lainie kill them. Word to the wise - I don't get mad, I get even.**_

_**Alan - Lady, you are scary.**_

_**CC - Alan, I have shot you, stabbed you, caused you enough physical trauma to fill a medical dictionary and you are just figuring this out now?**_

_**Virgil - Got to admit, she has an point, Allie.**_

_**Alan - Virgil! Here to lend a hand, big brother?**_

_**Virgil - Nope, just trying to get you from ticking off CC.**_

_**CC - And I have hot cross buns, fresh from the oven.**_

_**Alan - I can't be bribed with food -**_

_**CC - And hot chocolate.**_

_**Alan (glances over) - with the mini marshmallows? (CC nods) Hmm. I guess we can talk.**_

_**CC - That's right, if I am going to cause agnst and anguish, you should at least have food first.**_

_**Virgil - You gotta admit, Alan - she does feed us well.**_

_**Alan (grins) Yeah, I guess we could just call her Grandma.**_

_**CC - You do and you head back into a coma.**_

_**Virgil - Geesh, Alan! Never tick off crazy lady with keyboard.**_

_**CC - Words to live with, boys. Words to live with. More cocoa? Laters!**_


	7. Chapter 7 The Shadow of the Mind

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - If I owned it, I would have answered all of the reviews. But considering it is dangerously approaching the two week mark, I figured you would rather have a chapter than my lame...um, duck, answers to reviews.**_

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Chapter Seven - The shadow of the Mind

_Two Weeks Later_

Lainie Roy looked around as she got off the elevator. Following Lisa, she tried not to gawk as she followed the younger woman through the executive suites.

Lisa turned slightly, a smile on her face, her hazel eyes sparkling. Lainie had come to realize that the woman – who she had been surprised to realize was actually younger than she was – was as open and honest as they came, her intelligence matched by her integrity.

It also made it easy to get around her.

Quickly realizing that she couldn't play the young engineer the way she had her supervisor back in Bailey, Lainie had thrown herself into her work. Lisa had been so impressed with Lainie's hard work, effort and diligence that she had asked if they could keep Lisa on with them until the project was finished. Not for the first time, Lainie wondered exactly what the project was.

"_Um, Lisa?" _

_Lisa glanced up from her desk, smiling in thanks when Lainie not only handed her the file she had asked for but also a bottle of the flavored water the woman drank all day long. At the smile, Lainie decided to continue._

"_What exactly are you working on?"_

"_Sorry, Lainie," Lisa sighed before taking a gulp of water. "You don't have the security clearance for this. But keep working like you have and that will change. Oh, and can you edit and distribute this list?" Lisa asked as she handed the clerk a memory stick before returning to her work._

"_Of course," Lainie said with feigned cheerfulness, hiding her dark look until she had left the other woman's office. Lisa was only twenty-one, but with a master's degree in engineering from Cal-Sci, she was considered one of the rising stars at Tracy Industries. Considering she was older than her, it annoyed Lainie no end that she was reporting to Lisa and not the other way around._

"_Someday," she sighed._

"Someday."

Lisa turned slightly and frowned. "Did you say something, Lainie?"

"Oh, um," Lainie stuttered before answering quickly. "Just that someday I hope to have trained enough and work hard enough that I'll be able to work up here. I mean – this is where the action is, right?"

Lisa smiled. "That's true. And the Personal Assistants to the executives on this level are equal to bosses in many other companies. With the level of travel some of the executives have, their PA's often act in their place. That's pretty heady."

Ann Marie walked out into the hall at that point, smiling when she saw Lisa.

"Lisa," Ann Marie softly spoke before turning to Lainie. "And – Elaina, wasn't it?"

"Just Lainie, Ms. Thompson," Lainie said in what she hoped was a humble tone.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Ann-Marie said politely as she retrieved the rolls up plans from Lainie's arms.

"Everyone has been very kind," Lainie said softly. "I – I do miss my family sometimes," Lainie lied convincingly, not missing those hicks in the least.

"Of course you do," Lisa said gently. "When I came here at the beginning of summer, I missed my family in California so much. If you ever need to talk -"

Lainie faked another smile, trying to look grateful for the woman's kindness. Turning back to Ann Marie she asked in confusion. "Ms. Watson, I probably shouldn't be asking, but why did you need all of the plans on paper? They are in the computer – well," she gave a small laugh, "if you have proper access."

"Yes, but -" Ann Marie paused as an unmarked door at the end of the hall opened suddenly.

"Ann Marie, are the plans here yet?"

Virgil Tracy, looking even hotter than when they had been in high school, strolled down the hall. Taking a couple of the rolls, he nodded at Lisa.

"Thanks for bringing this up, Lisa," he smiled at the engineer. "I prefer to work on these on paper first."

"Hi, Virgil," Lainie said cheerfully, secretly annoyed he hadn't even noticed her yet.

"Hi," Virgil responded confused for a moment before his eyes widened in surprise. "Lainie Roy?"

"I wasn't sure you would remember me," Lainie said in feigned humility.

Thinking of how spiteful and cruel Holly had been to Sarah made Virgil sure Lainie had known most of it and wondered how much the blonde had aided her BFF in torturing Sarah Jane. But Jeff Tracy had always encouraged his sons to be forgiving. Besides, every one changes since high school, right?

Putting on a smile, Virgil nodded. "Of course I remember you. We didn't have that big a high school, did we?"

"Eighty two graduates our year," Lainie smiled.

Virgil's smile faded slightly as he recalled why only eighty seniors had crossed the stage to receive their diplomas. But his smile returned as he remembered that Sarah was meeting him that day and that they would have two days together before he had to head back to the island.

Nodding at Lisa and Lainie, he kept a tight hold on the rolled up designs. "Lisa, thanks again. I'll get these to you before I leave. And Lainie – nice to see you again. I hope you do well here."

Both blondes softly said their thanks as Lisa turned to leave, expecting Lainie to follow. When she didn't, Virgil looked at her in confusion.

Blushing slightly in order to hide her frustration, Lainie blurted out. "I saw John's engagement announcement. I'm so happy for him. They make a lovely couple."

Virgil smiled in genuine pleasure. "Emily is a great girl. John's lucky to have called dibs first."

Ann Marie chuckled, having heard the story but the other two women just looked confused.

Virgil continued. "I'll be sure to tell John you said congratulations."

"You do that," Lainie gushed as she started to follow Lisa back to the elevators. Smiling over her shoulder at Virgil, she cooed, "I'm sure I'll see you soon, Virgil."

Entering the elevator, Lainie was silent as Lisa reviewed some work they needed to get done once they returned to their floor, all the while thinking –

_Soon, Holly. I'll have him soon and then we'll have all we wanted back in Bailey._

* * *

John nodded at the image of his father, Jeff's face streaked with soot.

"The rescue went smoothly, John," Jeff said cheerfully. "Once we were able to get the well capped, the fire was easily put out and all of the personnel from the rig are now being checked out in Sydney."

"So just a walk in the park, Commander?" John joked lightly, sending data to command and control, a soft beep of acknowledgement letting him know that Brains was monitoring the situation from base.

"Well, a smooth rescue, at least," Jeff acknowledged.

"Does Virgil know you are flying his baby?" John teased.

"Better me than Gordon," Jeff grinned, his teeth whiter than usual than in his smoke darkened face.

"Luckily the auto-pilot works well in this situation," Gordon called out from the back of Thunderbird Two, where he had been replacing supplies.

"I said I could come along with Two," Scott chimed in from his seat aboard Thunderbird One.

"Scott," Jeff responded, "I wanted One there in case we needed to launch a rocket into the flames. Luckily, it wasn't needed."

"Can we work this out back at base?" Gordon groaned. "My back is -" The redhead stopped when he felt his family's anxiety at the mention of his old injury.

"Guys, I'm OK. I just overdid it a bit and would like to be back in fighting shape before Virgil returns."

"Brains will still check you out when we get back," Jeff said firmly.

Before Gordon could argue, Brains spoke up. "I-I'll h-have everything s-s-s _ready_ when you return. A-and J-John?" he added, waiting until John gave a quick acknowledgement. "Emily said to call when you had a break from work."

Emily had taken to calling the island first, wanting to make sure John wasn't "in a meeting" – her code for John being in the middle of a rescue. John smiled.

"I'll call her in a little while," John said.

"We're all set here," Jeff smiled at his second son, remembering how hard it was to be separated from Lucy for the first time after they had fallen in love. "Call her now, John."

"If that's an order, Commander," John joked.

"Make it so," Jeff teased in return.

Disconnecting with his father, John quickly called Emily, grinning when her image appeared on the screen.

"Hiya, Emmy," John sighed, wondering how she kept getting more beautiful every time he saw her.

"You do realize you are the only person alive who can call me Emmy," the young doctor joked.

"Because you love me," John responded, almost smug in the knowledge.

"You better believe it, Starman," Emily teased in return before tapping a DVD next to her. "And I don't know how much your dad pays his PA, but it isn't enough."

"Ann Marie?" John asked. "She's Dad's right-hand. He calls her Tracy Enterprises most valuable asset."

"Well, I love this woman," Emily grinned. "Do you remember what I wanted so much when we spoke about Susan Haas finding out about our engagement?"

"Yes," John nodded in confusion. "You wanted to actually see it. But you haven't been to New York since the robbery. Did she come to Auckland?"

"Set foot outside civilized society?" Emily asked in a faux-snobbish tone. "Susan Haas would never demean herself in such a manner."

"Please say she doesn't actually sound or act like that," John laughed.

"Why do you think I don't want her anywhere around me or mine," Emily said grimly before smiling once more. "But Ann Marie got me the perfect engagement present. Do you have time to watch?"

John thought about the report he had to type up for the rescue that International Rescue had just completed before he shrugged and nodded. "I can spare it if it's worth it."

"Oh, it's worth it," Emily uncharacteristically giggled, inserting the DVD into a drive and typing in some commands so that John could watch the DVD as well.

Across the screen was a clear image of the interior of the lobby of Tracy Towers. John nodded slightly, happy to see that the updated software allowed for exquisite detail, giving the viewer a feeling of watching a movie instead of security footage.

Into the bustling lobby – not surprising, as John could see the footage was dated on a Monday at 10 AM – a well-dressed woman strolled towards the main desk, ignoring the security officer in light of the young woman behind the desk.

"_I would like to see Jeff Tracy," _the woman said imperiously, even as John was pleased to take note that the audio detail had improved as well since their latest upgrades.

The receptionist glanced over at the security guard – Mickey, if John remembered correctly – who was having trouble hiding his smirk.

"_Do you have an appointment?" _the receptionist asked coolly.

"_Do you have any idea who I am?" _the woman sneered.

"_Obviously, someone without an appointment," _Mickey muttered to the amusement of the receptionist.

"_I am here to alert Jeff Tracy that someone is dragging both of our family names through the muck and mud."_

Mickey looked concerned and stood up, heading over to a separate desk behind the reception station. Picking up a phone, he punched in a few numbers and spoke into it quietly. Finishing, he came back to the desk and spoke to the woman.

"_Someone will be down in a minute," _Mickey said as he sat back down.

"_No need," _the woman said. _"I can just go up -"_

"_You can wait here," _Mickey said, _"or you can leave."_

The woman began to pace, her fury clearly growing, before Ann-Marie stepped off of the elevator, heading towards the woman.

"_I am Ann Marie Thompson, Mr. Tracy's Personal Assistant," _Ann Marie said in her usual crisp, efficient manner. _"Is there something I can help you with?"_

"_I need to speak with Jeff Tracy, not one of his flunkies," _the woman snapped.

"_It's me or nothing," _Ann Marie said coolly. _"I can assure you, that I am frequently the spokesperson for the entire Tracy Family – and you do claim that this in regards to the Tracy Family."_

"_Fine," _the woman snapped, looking around to make sure no one was within listening distance. Snapping a newspaper down on the desk, she pointed to an article. _"Do you see that?"_

Ann Marie glanced at the article and frowned. _"And this is an issue to you how?"_

Standing rigidly, staring at Ann Marie in a manner that would have most people squirming, she coldly said, _"I am Susan Haas. According to this rag, my daughter is supposedly engaged to Jeff Tracy's son. I know for a fact that Emily is actually involved with some ethnic person in the South Pacific. She is a disgrace and has undoubtedly cooked this up in order to embarrass me. Sadly, she has pulled the Tracys into it and I am certain Jeff Tracy will want to put a stop to it."_

"_Emily Haas," _Ann Marie said in an even colder voice than Susan's_, "is a delightful young woman that Jeff is thrilled to have marrying his son. And I believe what Emily told you was that she is in love with a writer who lived on a island north of Auckland with his family. John does live on an island – a private island with his family. And he is a published author, researcher and an honored astronomer."_

"_It doesn't mention her family at all," _Susan Haas backpedaled.

"_After you disowned her?" _Ann Marie smirked. _"Emily mentioned the only family she wanted to acknowledge. And after their marriage, Emily will be dropping the name Haas entirely. Further, don't blame Emily for the article. I prepped and submitted the announcement."_

"_I am her mother," _Susan hissed. _"I deserve to be a part of this."_

Ann Marie glared at the woman. _"The only thing you deserve is a fat lip if you come anywhere near Emily. Now you listen well, lady – a term I use lightly. You will not use Emily or any other Tracy as a social pawn. You are outclassed in this game and you – will – lose."_

"_Emily is not a Tracy," _Susan snapped.

"_As far as the family is concerned," _Ann Marie shrugged, _"she is. And she will soon legally be Emily Tracy. Face it lady – you had a wonderful thing - A bright, beautiful daughter who broke molds instead of conforming to them. Now get out of here before I have Mickey throw you out."_

"_And Mickey," _Ann Marie said as she turned back to the elevators, glancing over her shoulder. _"Make sure the rest of security knows that Susan Haas is persona non grata at all Tracy properties."_

The video ended and Emily giggled once more. "I love it!" she crowed to John.

John smiled. "Honey, I hope you are always so easily pleased."

"If I have you," Emily grinned back. "I will be."

Sighing, John touched the screen. "One more week, Emmy. Then Virgil gets his chance to be up here and I get to see you."

Pressing her fingers to her lip, Emily then touched the screen. "I miss you, Starman."

"Back at you," John whispered, returning the finger kiss.

Signing off with John, Emily leaned back in her chair. Smiling she twisted so that she could reach out and pull the disc from the computer. Sliding it into a protective case, Emily patted the package before slipping it into her drawer. It had taken years, but she had finally gotten to see someone stand up to her mother in her defense. Tears briefly filled her eyes before she blinked them away. Emily would never again bother herself with the fear that somehow she had done something to make her mother not love her.

A line from an old movie flickered through Emily's head_. "__I want you to know that I will forget you after this moment, and never think of you again. But you, I am quite certain, will think about me every single day for the rest of your life." _

Standing, Emily stood up and smiled. She had patients to see and she had forgotten about Susan Haas before she even hit the door. Life was too wonderful to worry about the small stuff.

* * *

Alan Tracy grinned as he jogged lightly in a circle as members of the fall track team practiced all around him. Feeling a slight stitch in his side, Alan paused before heading back to the bench.

"Getting tired, Alan?" Coach Michaels asked as he joined the teenager on the bench. "Watkins! Go help Delgado with the javelin, will you?"

Alan sighed slightly. "I really wanted to be on the team this fall," Alan admitted as he began to stretch his muscles from his seated position.

"Keep up the improvements," Coach Michaels assured him, "and you will be on the team in the spring. We really wanted you on the team but I can't have you on it until the doctors clear you."

Looking off in the distance, Alan was still for a moment, worrying the coach when he didn't speak. Michaels was about to say something when Alan spoke again.

"I almost died, did you know that?"

"I know, Alan," Michaels admitted, placing a comforting hand on the fifteen-year-old's shoulder. "And your level of recovery is remarkable. But it is unrealistic for someone to be as badly hurt as you were a few months ago be in competition level shape now."

"Em thinks I might be signed off by November," Alan said with a small smile.

"And the final meet is the first weekend in November," the coach chuckled.

"They weren't even sure I was going to walk again," Alan sighed before looking up with a determined glint in his eyes. "But I fooled them. Because now I know – I won't just walk, I'll run. And I won't just run – I'll win."

"If it was anyone else," Coach Michaels said with a smile, "I'd nod my head and say, sure. But with you, Alan – I believe you."

Standing, Alan looked around. "One of my brothers and a friend are coming to visit, so I need to get ready. Do you want me to put anything away before I leave?"

Coach Michael's shook his head. "Nah. Hit the showers, kid. You work harder than most of the people who are actively on the team. And don't think I'm not keeping an eye on your schoolwork, just because you're not suiting up this term. Your teachers are all singing your praises. Your family should be proud."

Alan smiled shyly. "They are. It feels good to know you make your heroes proud, you know?"

As Alan walked away, Tomo Wattame walked up to see the puzzled look on his coach's face. Michaels turned to the senior and frowned.

"I said he was making his family proud and Alan said he was making his heroes proud."

Tomo grinned. "That's because to Alan, they are one and the same."

* * *

Jill Taylor headed over to the security desk in the lobby, smiling at Mickey.

"Hey, Mickey," the HR worker called out, struggling to carry a large box of files.

The older man stood up and grinned, taking the box easily from Jill with a laugh. "Jill, you beautiful thing – you finally gonna go out with me?"

Jill laughed. "One – Mickey, you are so lucky you tease me like this. I work in HR and you could be so busted. Two – I know your wife. I would be too scared of her to ever even think of accepting."

"Yeah," Mickey sighed in pleasure. "My Abby is one scary lady, isn't she?"

"And you are hopelessly in love," Jill snickered even as she helped set up the files. "We have the new college interns starting tomorrow, so here are their files. They are color coded for divisions. Make sure that they wait here until a department head -"

"-Comes to get them. Same as it has been in the eleven years that Tracy Enterprises has had the intern program," Mickey finished with a laugh.

Jill blushed. "Sorry. It's just the first time I've been in charge of the intern program. I just want everything to go well."

"And it will," Mickey comforted her.

"What are you stressing about?" Lainie asked, pretending interest as she entered the lobby. Jill had been avoiding her ever since that first day at lunch. No one else had noticed yet but Lainie was determined that the other woman not gum up her game.

"Nothing much," Jill responded, keeping her voice even with a great deal of effort. Everyone seemed to think Lainie was wonderful, but Jill couldn't help the feeling of absolute terror that had come about from that one glimpse of Lainie's eyes when she thought no one was looking.

Shaking herself, Jill smiled at Lainie. "What are you doing – trolling the building?"

Pushing down her fury, Lainie gave a trill laugh. "Oh, no – something for the department was delivered and Lisa needed it as soon as possible rather than wait for interoffice delivery. So I volunteered."

"Well," Mickey nodded, "that was right nice of -"

Mickey stopped talking when the elevator from the executive floor opened and Virgil came out, carrying an overnight bag.

"You are leaving already, Mr. Tracy?" Mickey asked.

"Yes," Virgil laughed, shaking his head. "And it's Virgil, Mickey. You've worked here for ten years."

"And as each of you boys have joined your father, you became Mr. Tracy," Mickey said firmly.

"Doesn't that get confusing?" Lainie asked, sliding forward. "I mean," she laughed again, "there are six Tracys."

"I suppose," Mickey agreed. "Except Alan doesn't work here yet and there is rarely more that one Tracy here at a time."

"So are you heading back home, Virgil?" Lainie asked with a smile.

"Um, no," Virgil admitted as he looked towards the door briefly. "Actually, I'm headed up to Massachusetts for a couple of days."

"To visit Alan?" Lainie chuckled. "I mean, school is only back in session for a couple of weeks and you are already visiting him?"

"What can we say," a new voice added. "We love the Sprout."

Virgil turned with a grin when Sarah entered the lobby and approached him. Stepping forward, he held out his arms and the redhead ran into his embrace, greeting him with a kiss.

"Mickey, should this young lady come looking for me -"

Mickey chuckled. "Your dad added her to the approved visitors list back in August."

"He always did like me," Sarah chuckled as she kissed Virgil's cheek. "Nice to see you again, Mickey."

"Like wise, Miss Woodbury," Mickey said only to freeze when Lainie gasped.

"Woodbury," she breathed. "Um, you can't be -"

Even as Lainie broke off in confusion, Sarah turned to the blonde, her green eyes narrowing as she recognized Holly's BFF.

"Elaina Roy," Sarah glared. "You live."

"My – my," Lainie cooed. "Sarah Jane Woodbury – it is you. I would have never thought that Holly's little sister could look like, um, well like you do."

"Some of us grow up," Sarah said firmly. "High school was a long time ago and some people are willing to let go of the past. After all, people who don't end up regretting it."

Virgil looked confused but Sarah grinned and waved her keys. "I brought my baby. Wanna drive up to Springfield? We can always grab a cab if we decide to take Allie out to dinner."

"I can drive it?" Virgil looked like a kid who had just been told to take anything he wanted in the candy store. "Sweet!"

"What kind of ride?" Mickey asked even as the couple moved towards the door.

"57 T-Bird," Sarah said smugly.

"Convertible?" Mickey choked.

"Is there any other kind worth having?" Sarah grinned even as Virgil pulled her through the front door.

"I think another Tracy boy has been claimed," Mickey nodded to Jill who smiled in return, neither of them noticing Lainie moving towards the elevator, clutching the bundle in her arms in fury.

"_No worries," _Holly comforted Lainie as she boarded the elevator. _"It's only plain Sarah Jane."_

"Plain?" Lainie hissed. "Did you see her? Tight jeans, boots, and sweater – she looked hot. The hair looks like something a beauty parlor charges four hundred bucks to get. And where are her glasses? Or her braces?"

"_No doubt he is only dating her to please his daddy," _Holly huffed. _"Jeff Tracy always did have a soft spot for my bitch of a sister."_

"I don't know -" Lainie began only for Holly to cut her off.

"_No. My parents' mistake wormed her way into the Tracy Family years ago and she has them all fooled. Now she managed to get herself all prettied up and her claws into Virgil. It's all up to you Lainie. You have to save him from his misplaced loyalty to that little bitch. I know you are up to it. And once you save him from her, he'll turn to you and you will be right where you belong."_

"Mrs. Elaina Tracy," Lainie smiled.

"_Exactly, baby," _Holly comforted her. _"And if you need to, you can always finish what I started."_

"Don't worry," Lainie said quietly as the elevator doors opened to the eighth floor, "I will."

_**

* * *

**_

A/N - The movie quote is from "Ever After - A Cinderella Story". And ok movie. Not great but it does have some good performers. And I LOVE that line. As for the graduating class, my husband graduated with that class size. Frankly, that was my Freshman gym class size. My class size was almost seven hundred.


	8. Chapter 8 A Light from a Far

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

* * *

**_Disclaimer - If I owned the Thunderbirds, I doubt I would be sitting in bed, watching a DVD with tylenol and juice next to my bed. Yep, what I own instead is a second round of the flu. Unfortunately, I am allergic to the flu shot so no cracks that I should have gotten one._**

**Chapter Eight - A Light from A Far**

Alan sat on the bench under his second favorite oak tree on the quad – Virgil would pitch a fit if he saw him "sprawled on the ground" under the larger tree across the grassy area – with his English Lit book on his lap and a note pad on top of his geometry book. His classmates teased him about preferring to write things on paper before using his notebook computer but while he could type as well – sometimes even faster – as his peers, Alan would say that he preferred to write things out first. It helped in his thought process.

Preferring something he could write on instead of a data pad or computer was a trait that Alan shared with his middle brother, Virgil. Smiling, the teenager often felt that it was one of the few things he had in common with that brother, although there was something he seemed to have pulled from each sibling.

From Scott, Alan had his love of flying. Although not yet cleared to go on missions yet, Emily had okayed Alan to go on "shake-downs" for re-tuned Tracy One, Tracy Two (that had _really _needed it after Emily had flown the jet to New York during the bank robbery crisis) and even Thunderbird One. The teen had been disappointed that he hadn't been allowed to go on Thunderbird Three but Emily had warned him not to push it.

Oh, well – there was always Thanksgiving weekend. Or at least Christmas Break.

John and Alan seemed to have more in common these days than differences and the whole family seemed amused by that fact. Or astonished. Alan wasn't really sure.

Gordon and Alan had always been the "Terrible Twosome" (although they had said "Terrific" and Scott had sworn it was "Gruesome"); pranking the rest of their family. At least, Alan grimaced, when Gordon wasn't pranking his "favorite younger brother".

"I'm your only younger brother, smartie," Alan grumbled as he nearly dropped his pad of paper. Writing another line as the page was fluttered by a light breeze, Alan's thought turned to his remaining sibling.

Virgil liked to write things down as well, preferring a piece of paper to a computer, at least for initial drafts. Alan suspected that trait came from his middle brother's artistic side. After all, theoretically you could create art or music on the computer. But Virgil frowned on it, preferring to put pen to paper saying that ideas flowed more freely through ink than hard drives.

Any further thoughts of his family were drowned out as Alan heard the sound of a well-tuned engine, extremely different from the hybrid cars that were so common these days. With the low speed of the campus, most cars never went beyond electric so the sound of a purely gas engine stood out.

Even if the sound of the engine hadn't stood out, the car that pulled in surely would have. Walking towards it, Alan was stunned to see Virgil behind the wheel.

"Virg?" Alan gasped. "Did you get a new car?"

"Nope, Baby," Sarah laughed as she climbed out of the convertible. "This one is all mine. I just thought Virgil had earned a turn behind the wheel."

Alan accepted Sarah's embrace, drinking in the scent of her. Sarah still favored apple scents, just as she had when they were kids. Alan could never resist that smell.

"So," Alan grinned at his honorary big sister, "do I get a turn behind the wheel?"

Sarah smiled. "Maybe. When you're a licensed driver."

"Oh, man!" Alan groaned before he glanced back at the car. Sighing, he grinned at his brother.

"Virgil, marry her and keep the car in the family," Alan commanded, expecting Virgil to sputter in protest. Instead, the Tracy artist just smiled.

"I'm considering it, Sprout," Virgil said softly, making Sarah blush and Alan look as if Christmas had just come early.

"Let me grab my books," Alan laughed as he turned away. "Then I can show you around."

As Alan jogged towards the bench, Virgil called after him.

"Hey Sprout, where do you want to eat?"

"Any place there is food," Alan hollered back before adding – "And don't call me Sprout!"

Virgil grinned at Sarah. "Typical teenager - _Any place there's food._"

Sarah laughed even as she climbed in the car to raise the top and lock up. "Sounds more like a typical Tracy."

* * *

Scott continued to work on tuning Thunderbird One's engine. When he was done, he still had to work on tweaking Tracy Two's engine as well.

"Emily is never flying her again," Scott muttered.

"And if she does," Gordon said cheerfully as he came up behind his brother, "she won't be as panicky. Emily's a good pilot."

Scott glared at his red-headed brother for a moment before sighing. "She was really good?"

"Yep," Gordon grinned. "I think that little gal would be hard pressed to find something she isn't good at."

"She hates baseball with a passion," Scott laughed. "Mainly because she can't hit a ball to save her life."

"So never introduce her to Jeannie Bates," Gordon chuckled.

Continuing to work, Scott tested a few things with a hand-held device before speaking again.

"I got a letter from Jeannie Bates," the oldest brother finally said.

"Really?" Gordon asked in surprise, grabbing a water bottle from a nearby cooler before tossing a second bottle to Scott.

Nodding when Scott caught it with one hand as the other still held a scanner, Gordon continued.

"So how is Slugger?"

Scott laughed. "Fish-face, you know Jeannie hated that nick-name."

"Yeah," Gordon agreed. "But neither she nor the infamous Bailey Bat is here." Taking a deep swallow of water, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and asked, "So what's new with the Jar Head?"

"Well," Scott started, "first off, she left the Marine Corp. She moved back to Bailey and is working as a Deputy Sheriff . Seems Amos Tucker is considering retirement and he wants Jeannie lined up as his replacement."

"Man," Gordon laughed. "Walking Tall – Kansas edition, here we come! So, she's going to be Sheriff Bates."

"Nope," Scott said. At Gordon's confused look, he continued. "Remember Billy Landman?"

"The summer boy? Keifer Dutton's cousin?"

"One and the same," Scott responded. "Seems Jeannie met up with him when they were both assigned to the same joint service base in North Africa. Billy – now Dr. Landman, thank you very much – was patching people up and Jeannie was probably giving plenty of work to whomever was doing Billy's job on the other side – ended up getting together. She's already out of the service and he'll be done in May and he's moving to Bailey to start back up the medical clinic there. In fact, they are going to be sending me a wedding invitation for next July."

"So by the time ol' Amos retires," Gordon correctly surmised, "she'll be Sheriff Landman. You going to the wedding?"

Scott grinned. "Jeannie wants me to stand up with her at the wedding."

Gordon started laughing so hard that the red-head fell to his knees. "You- you're go-gonna be her maid of honor?"

Scott's grin quickly turned to a glare. "I'm going to stand up with one of my best friends on the day she gets married. It's not going to be a big production."

"It – it's still fu-funny," Gordon gasped from the floor, still too weak from laughter to stand.

"Is not," Scott muttered. "Man, its bad enough John is engaged, Alan's with Tin-Tin and now Virgil is with Sarah Jane. I so have to find someone before you – do -"

Scott's voice trailed off at the cat-that-ate-the canary grin on Gordon's face.

"Lisa McCallister," Gordon supplied. "A new hire at the New York office. Met her earlier this summer. Not sure if it's serious, but – she's special, Scotty."

Scott sighed as he sat down on the floor of the hanger next to Gordon. "I don't know whether to be thrilled for my brothers or to start looking for the nearest cliff to jump off of."

"You're too responsible to jump," Gordon said cheerfully as he put an arm around his oldest brother. "C'mon, I noticed Onaha making an apple pie for dessert. I bet we can get a slice for you early if you give her your best puppy dog look."

"I don't do puppy dog looks," Scott muttered as they made their way to the lift.

Gordon only chuckled not brave enough to tell Scott that he already had the look on his face. He preferred facing possible death only on rescues.

* * *

Alan watched in pleasure as Virgil held out a chair for Sarah before the middle Tracy brother sat down himself, unconsciously scooting his chair closer to the redhead.

"Given Alan a full choice could have stuck us at a pizza parlor," Virgil joked as he picked up the menu from the family style restaurant.

"And if you were choosing," Sarah teased, "it would be Chinese."

"And if Gordon was choosing, seafood, Dad five star, Scott subs, John -"Alan joined in with a laugh before Virgil interrupted with a chuckle.

"Are you saying our family can't agree on food?"

"Sure you can agree on food," Sarah laughed. "Where is it and how soon can we get it? Don't think I always noticed that only one person ever chose what kind of food."

"And you Sarah?" Alan asked even as glasses of water were placed in front of them before the waiter promised to be back in a minute for their orders.

"Let me guess," Virgil smiled. "Italian, right?" he asked as he began to play with a stray curl that had fallen loose from where Sarah's hair was clasped at the base of her neck.

"Guilty," Sarah nodded with a grin. "What was your first clue? The Italian restaurant in Boston or the Italian pastries in my fridge?"

"And the Italian cookbooks in your kitchen and the Italian recipes you sent Onaha…" Virgil continued with another laugh.

The waiter returned and they placed their order.

"OK, Sarah," Alan started, "you live in Boston – how did you know about a place in Springfield?"

"Well," Sarah shrugged, "it's owned by -"

Sarah was cut off by an excited cry of "Woody!" Standing with a smile, the slender red-head found herself engulfed in a hug by a man who could only be described as huge.

"Guys," Sarah laughed as she leaned into the body of the man who kept a protective arm around her, "I want you to meet Declain Hobbs. One of the best cooks I ever met and one of my first friends in Boston. Hobbit – meet Virgil and Alan Tracy, two of my oldest friends from Kansas."

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming, Little Red?" Declain asked with another squeeze around her shoulders.

Sarah shrugged her shoulders as best as she could with the continued pressure. "I wasn't sure if Alan would want to eat here and since Virgil and I came all this way to see him, I thought he should have first call."

"How did you meet, if I can ask?" Alan cocked his head, sensing a good story.

"I was in charge of the kitchens at the Shriner's Hospital in Boston," Declain explained. "Once Little Red could eat solids again, it was my job to make sure she put some weight back on."

"What can I say guys," Sarah smiled. "Kansas had Ruth Tracy and Boston had Declain Hobbs. And when are you gonna stop calling me Little Red? You know I hate that."

"When are you gonna stop being a smart ass and calling me Hobbit?" Declain asked. "I'm six four, two hundred thirty five pounds and – huh. What's the politically correct term? Never liked African American. Never been to Africa. My family has lived in Boston for two hundred years. When I was a kid, I was black and that was OK for me. Well, whatever. I sure ain't no hobbit."

"And I'm no Little Red Riding Hood, which is all I can think of when you say Little Red," Sarah complained as she regained her seat.

Virgil leaned over, causing Sarah to blush when he whispered in her ear, "So does that mean I can't play the big bad wolf tonight?"

Alan grinned up at Declain while he supervised the salads being distributed on their tables. He had always wanted Sarah for a big sister and it looked like his wish was finally going to come through.

Over an hour later, the trio had finished their meals among laughter, stories of past shared events and – in the Tracys' case – an edited version of life since the Tracys and Sarah had last seen each other in Kansas.

"The _whole _lab, Alan?" Sarah asked as she giggled.

Alan blushed while Virgil just laughed.

"Hey," Alan said defensively. "The final report said it wasn't my fault. The equipment and lack of supervision because the teacher left to make a personal call was more important."

Virgil chuckled. "Alan's right. The school apologized but Dad had taken Alan home and had him in Wharton's not long after. Dad said any place that had such little disregard for student safety and was so quick to judge, wanting to just blame Alan and drop the whole matter, was not a place he was willing to entrust the well-being of one of his sons."

Alan looked askance at his brother. "Dad really said that?"

Virgil nodded. "Yeah, didn't he tell you?"

When Alan didn't respond, Sarah and Virgil looked at each other in concern. _I think I need to talk to Dad about this, _Virgil thought. _He needs to make sure that Alan knows Dad believed in him and only changed schools to try and protect the kid._

Before they could say anything else, Declain joined the table.

"Time for dessert?" the big man asked jovially. "I just made an awesome carrot cake -"

"NO!" Virgil's loud injection startled both Sarah and Declain, making Alan's much softer "no" virtually unheard.

"Um, sorry," Virgil muttered. Taking a deep breath he gestured to Alan. "Carrot cake is made with walnuts and Alan is extremely allergic."

"Then how about some Boston Cream pie?" Declain asked, looking around the table.

"Sounds good," Sarah gave a smile that quickly faded once they were alone once more.

"OK, I know Alan is allergic to penicillin. When did Alan become allergic to walnuts? I mean, I know your grandfather was, it was why Grandma Tracy never cooked with it -"

"What?" Virgil spluttered. "Grandpa was allergic to walnuts? That was something we should have known before Alan almost died."

"What?" It was Sarah's chance to be shocked as she turned to Alan, grasping his hand. "You almost died, Baby?"

"I was ok," Alan muttered. "It wasn't that bad."

"Not that bad?" Virgil asked in shock. "You were lying on the floor, Dad holding you and begging you to keep breathing, while Brains and I ran to the infirmary and back in record time with a epi pen. And now none of us leave home without one."

"You don't," Alan groaned, closing his eyes and resting his head on his folded arms when Virgil pulled an epi pen out of his pocket.

Sarah merely nodded. "I'll see about getting one for myself. Just in case."

Alan just looked up and smiled at Sarah when she added, "After all, I have to look out for my little brother, don't I?"

As the dessert was placed in front of each of them, all three smiled at each other, happy to just be together and feeling that all was right with their world.

* * *

Sitting in front of her computer as the office slowly emptied of all personnel, Lainie had begun to Google the happenings of the Tracy Family since they had left Kansas. Just as she encountered an article on the hit-and-run that had almost claimed the life of Alan Tracy, Lisa walked up next to Lainie.

"You know you can go home now," Lisa teased with a gentle laugh.

"Oh, um, well -" Lainie tried to buy time, thankful that she had already minimized the window.

"I'm guessing that isn't work related," Lisa sighed.

Lainie smiled, pretending to be embarrassed. "I don't have – well, it's not the best internet service at my place. I guess everyone shares it and at this time of day, with everyone just getting home -"

"It's slower than molasses," Lisa interjected before shaking her head.

"If it's off the clock," Lisa sighed again, "I suppose doing some on-line shopping is fine. But you need to make sure you are clocked off. And as soon as you are done -"

"Once I get the shipping confirmation," Lainie promised, crossing her heart in a child-like gesture, "I will be out of here. Thank you, Lisa. You are the best!"

Lisa smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow, Lainie," she said cheerfully as she left the other woman to her "shopping". After all, with the strong filters on the internet in Tracy Towers, there wasn't much Lainie could do that would be harmful.

As soon as Lisa hit the elevators, Lainie returned to the screen, carefully taking note of where the accident had occurred with Alan a few months before. Bringing up Wharton Academy's web-sit, Lainie copied the address and plugged in the details in Map Quest. Printing out the directions and some maps, Lainie smiled smugly.

"Got it all, Holly-wood," Lainie sighed.

_Good, _Holly smiled in approval. _Their baby boy always was the weak point for all the Tracys – and my bitch of a sister. You may need to eliminate the little bastard. And if Sarah Jane were to take the blame…_

"All the better," Lainie said with a smile as she stuffed the direction and maps into her bag. "Said bye-bye, Alan," she smirked before reaching over to turn off her computer. "Bye-bye, Allie."

* * *

_**CC - OK, so it looks like everything is going smoothly...**_

_**Alan - Smoothly? That nutjob knows where I live!**_

_**CC - Um, which nut job?**_

_**Scott - Yeah, Alan - be a bit more specific. The nut job who is cyber stalking you or the nut job who is writing this?**_

_**CC (feral grin) - I'm seeing a lot of cold showers in the future Scott Tracy.**_

_**Alan - And what about me?**_

_**CC - Well, you're having a great dinner with your brother and the girl you always wanted as a sister. What's the problem?**_

_**Scott - Well, if it is nice now, it will get scary soon. We know you.**_

_**CC - Wait until chapter ten. You - oh, never mind. I can't say anything. It would ruin all the lovely surprises I have planned.**_

_**Alan - I may be repeating myself, but you are a scary lady.**_

_**CC - I always loved one line from the first Harry Potter "You're scary you know. Brilliant, but scary." I hope people would think of me that way.**_

_**Scott - Nope, just scary.**_

_**CC (twisted smile) - And just for that, no pudding for you. Nope. None for you.**_

_**Scott (whispering) - Move slowly. She might not notice you. (The brothers leave quickly.)**_

_**CC (sighs) - Because I feel so lousy I didn't cook. But Scott wouldn't have bought that. More soon.**_


	9. Chapter 9  A Shadow Too Close

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Do not own the Thunderbirds. Things are slow now but...It's gonna get interesting. That and Sammygirl1963 says you are gonna hurt me soon.**_

* * *

**Chapter nine - A Shadown Too Close**

Virgil finished off another e-mail to Sarah before turning his attention back to the plans he had brought back with him from New York. As he made another note, a knock at his door made him look up to see his oldest brother smiling from the doorway.

"Hey Scott," Virgil leaned back in his chair as he set his pencil down. "What's up?"

"You almost ready to head up to Five tomorrow?" Scott asked as he entered the room.

"Just about," Virgil nodded. "I should have the modifications completed by then and I can head back to Manhattan to implement them."

"If you wanted," Scott said vaguely, "I can take this turn on Five."

"No, it's my turn and…" Virgil gave Scott a funny look before smiling. "Who told?"

"Told what?"

"About Sarah Jane."

"Ah," Scott smiled as he leaned against Virgil's desk. "It's not exactly a secret. So," he drawled, "is it serious?"

Virgil smiled in return. "I think so. I never believed all that junk about love at first sight – Then again, in our case, it's more like love at second sight."

Picking up a picture Virgil had printed out, Scott smiled at the picture of his middle brother sitting next to a _very _grown-up Sarah Jane Woodbury.

"Wow," he said softly. "Who'd have thunk that Sarah Jane would turn into a major hottie."

"Hey," Virgil protested with a laugh, "that's your future sister-in-law there!"

Both Virgil and Scott froze after that, neither able to speak for a minute. Finally, Scott regained the power of speech.

"Really? Already?"

Virgil just smiled as he looked at the picture. "Yeah, Scotty – I think so." Cocking an eyebrow, he looked up at Scott.

"She drives a T-Bird convertible, you know."

"Twentieth or twenty-first century model?"

"A fifty-seven, near mint."

Scott sighed. "Marry her, Virg. You gotta marry her."

Chuckling for a moment, Virgil nodded before changing the subject. "Do you remember Lainie Roy?"

Frowning, Scott shook his head. "Name doesn't ring a bell. Why?"

"She was in my class in high school. I took her to prom, remember?"

Sighing, Scott nodded. "Yeah, now I do. She was a friend of Holly Woodbury, wasn't she?"

Virgil nodded. "You got it. I was trying to sound out Sarah about prom when Holly and Lainie sat down in front of everyone at lunch and started talking about their dresses. Next thing I know, I am Lainie's date and Sarah spent the night baby-sitting Alan." Frowning, he looked up at Scott.

"Did I tell you she tried to, well – I explained to her that I had to get home to Alan."

"Let me guess," Scott said sourly. "She wanted to end the night at our house, right?" When Virgil blushed, Scott grimaced. "Grandma always said you can judge a person by the company they keep. Did you know Holly Woodbury hit on John when she was only fourteen?"

"No way," Virgil gasped. Shaking his head, he looked concerned. "Well, Lainie is now working at the New York office."

"Really?" Scott said in evident surprise. "Well, she had to have passed the drug tests to work there. And Dad is spreading that out to all offices. I think it is mandatory at all locations in the States. Not sure about globally. Has she grown-up or is she still "_I'm a cheerleader, kiss my_ -"

"You aren't even thinking of finishing that, are you, Scott?" Jeff asked with a frown, having entered without either son noticing.

"No sir," Scott assured his father quickly.

"What's up, Dad?" Virgil asked as he rolled up the plans, deciding not to work on them for a while.

"Ann-Marie called a little while ago," Jeff said, clearly troubled. "Do either of you remember Vernon Hinkley from our sales division in New York?"

Virgil shook his head while Scott looked pensive. Snapping his fingers, the older brother exclaimed, "Wait – forty something, dark hair thinning, dark eyes?"

Jeff nodded. "He was found murdered. The police had trouble getting an ID at first. Seems he was killed in some cheap motel outside of the city – his throat had been slashed. His wallet was missing and his body was dumped in a gulley."

"Robbery?" Virgil asked.

"The police think it was a possibility," Jeff said. "But the motel owner who dumped his body has been cleared of the actual murder. Seems the housekeeper found his body and the owner didn't want the hassle of his business being a crime site. He had the wallet but swore he didn't take the cash out of it. And since the night clerk could recall Vernon checking in with a woman with straight blonde hair -"

"A no-tell motel, huh?" Scott asked. "Is it possible he should have been with the woman?"

"Since his wife – a curly-haired brunette – was at home with their children, while he was supposedly at a meeting that Tracy Enterprises never had," Jeff said wryly, "I would say no – he had no business being with her." Jeff sighed. "His car was found – well, parts of it. The owner sold it as scrap. Getting back the cost of cleaning his rug, he said."

"So most of the evidence has been destroyed?" Virgil asked, sighing when his father nodded. "His poor wife. Can we do anything to help?"

Jeff shrugged. "I've instructed Ann-Marie to make sure that his insurance and benefits are paid out promptly. But I don't know what else we can do except to cooperate fully with the police."

"You don't think it has anything to do with his work?" Scott asked in surprise. "Or anyone from work?"

"No," Jeff sighed. "I think he was a man who liked to pretend he was single and picked up the wrong woman. Vernon's death is a tragedy but more for his wife and children then himself. It really has nothing to do with us or Tracy Enterprises."

Scott and Virgil nodded in agreement, but all three men found themselves shaking as a cold shiver ran up their spines and a sense of foreboding could be felt for a moment before they all pushed it away as their imagination.

* * *

Lainie Roy was smiling, driving up the Mass Turnpike, heading towards Springfield on a glorious Friday afternoon. Lisa had completely bought Lainie's story about a doctor's appointment and had let her leave at noon. A forged signature – from one of the sales rep's and not anyone in Lainie's department – got her access to a company car. And the cash she had withdrawn using Vernon Hinckley's company credit card in the days before his death was discovered and reported to Tracy Enterprises for them to cancel the card meant she had money to use on her trip to scout out Alan Tracy's school-year home.

The car was nondescript, not the sort she would drive herself under normal circumstances, but Lainie had sold her sports car before leaving Kansas once she had seen how much it would cost for parking in Manhattan. But considering it was comfortable, with a full tank of gas, and not something that could be traced back to her, it suited her purposes.

Cruising along with the other people eager to get a jump start on one of the last truly nice weekends of the fall, Lainie didn't take note of how fast she was going.

Unfortunately for her, a Massachusetts State Trooper did.

Pulled to the side of the Turnpike, Lainie rolled down the electric window.

"Is there a problem officer?" Lainie asked coyly, batting her eyelashes.

The trooper stifled a sigh as he pulled out a small booklet. "License and registration, please," he said, nodding and beginning to write when Lainie handed them over. "Do you realize how fast you were going ma'am?"

Lainie smiled brightly, shaking her blonde hair so it fell freely around her shoulder. "Why no, officer. I don't."

Luckily for the trooper, his eyes widening at the blatant flirtation were hidden by his aviator sunglasses. He had already run the plates – which matched the registration for a company car for Tracy Enterprises – and wondered why the company let such a clueless idiot drive one of their cars.

"Well, then," he drawled as he continued to write, "Since you don't know how fast you were going, I guess I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?"

Tossing back her head, Lainie let out a tinkling laugh. "Oh, you are clever, aren't you? I love a man with a sense of humor." Smiling as she leaned her chin on her arm that rested on the open window, Lainie gave a come-hither glance as she asked, "I thought police men never gave tickets to a beautiful woman."

Pushing down a groan, the trooper kept working as he tried not to look at Lainie. Finally, he spoke.

"You thought we don't give beautiful women tickets? You're right, we don't. Sign here."

Glaring at the trooper, Lainie snatched the booklet and signed where indicated.

Watching the woman drive off, the trooper finished making a note in his log before pulling back into the start-of-weekend traffic.

"What a nut job," he muttered before he refocused on the traffic around him.

* * *

Sarah grabbed the drug box from the ground and watched carefully as Tommy helped load the rescue aboard the ambulance. Even as the doors closed behind him, Sarah felt her partner's eyes focus on her while she put the equipment away and locked the compartment on the paramedic truck carefully. Pocketing the keys, Sarah absently waved to her partner with an "I'm fine" before moving around to the driver's side door.

Opening the door, she prepared to climb in even as she rubbed a sore spot on her chest.

"You OK, Woody?" Captain Delgado asked as he approached her from behind.

"Fine, Cap," the red-head assured him, smiling in a reassuring manner. "The patient felt worse about hitting me than I do. Well – maybe," she chuckled.

"Still," Delgado mused, "I want you to get it checked out at the hospital. No," he countered when Sarah tried to speak. "That is an order, Woodbury, got it?"

"Yes, sir, Captain, sir!" Sarah joked lightly as the man waived his index finger, reminding her sorely of Ruth Tracy and her gentle admonishments to her while growing up.

"Excuse me," a new voice popped up. Sarah and Delgado turned to see an attractive woman approach them. "Are you Sarah Jane Woodbury?"

"Can I ask who is asking?" was Sarah's response since she did not feel comfortable with the woman in the least, in fact she looked familiar...

The woman gave what had to be the fakest smile either firefighter had ever seen. "I'm Ana Nevada -"

A memory from earlier in the year rushed back of the reporter who had endangered Alan and John Tracy during the bank robbery in New York. Sarah practically snarled, "I remember. Your nose looks better," she said with a feral smile.

Ana glared for a moment, even as she lightly touched at her nose before speaking. "Yes, well, it healed nicely."

Sarah nudged Delgado. "Emily broke her nose for almost getting Alan and John Tracy killed."

"That was over-exaggerated and I should have pressed charges against her," Ana grumbled.

"A good lawyer – and either Emily or the Tracys would have made sure it was a _very _good lawyer – would not only have any criminal charges dismissed but any civil case as well," Sarah shrugged. "As I recall, _you _nearly faced charges yourself."

"My producer felt a lawsuit would be counterproductive," Ana was the one now shrugging.

"Which side was he on," Delgado muttered to Sarah who giggled.

"Now," Ana gave the phony smile again. "My sources tell me that your relationship with the Tracy family has, shall we say, evolved? That you are no longer just a _friend of the family, _but are now romantically entangled with Virgil Tracy?"

"No comment," Sarah said firmly as she climbed into the truck and closed the door behind her.

"Ms. Woodbury, the people have a right to know," Ana argued, raising her voice as Sarah started up the vehicle.

"Not about me, they don't," Sarah mumbled as she drove off to catch up with the ambulance.

"I think you best leave," Captain Delgado said firmly.

"Mr. -" Ana began before she was abruptly cut off.

"That's Captain Delgado," the man said as he tapped at his name tag. "And the personal lives of my team are not fodder for the masses."

"The lives of public figures are well-known and documented," Ana argued.

"Woody isn't a public figure," Delgado began, holding up a hand when Ana looked to interrupt. "Jeff Tracy is, hell, you can argue Virgil Tracy is. But Sarah Woodbury is a firefighter-paramedic for the city of Boston and as her boss, I have nothing but respect for her. You can run a request past the Information Officer for the BFD but based on your questionable criteria, I wouldn't count on a positive response."

Ana turned on her designer heel and prepared to stalk off as Delgado called after her.

"Ms. Nevada?" Seeing he had her attention, Delgado smiled coldly. "And if you interfere with one of my people again in the _performance_ of their duties, expect the city of Boston to press charges. It is a criminal offence to disrupt a firefighter or police officer while they are discharging their responsibilities to their job."

Hearing her growl, Captain Delgado smiled and gave a casual wave. "The city of Boston wishes you a pleasant day, Ms. Nevada." As she stalked off, he growled under his breath, "Preferably in some other city."

* * *

Lainie watched carefully for an opening, wondering if she would be able to sneak onto the campus.

She had tried the direct approach. But neither flattery nor seduction had swayed the guard at the gate.

"_Lady," _the guard had said coolly, _"some very important people pay a lot of money to keep their sons safe. If you don't have __**provable **__business on this campus, you're not getting on it."_

So Lainie continued to watch from the park bench across the street, just far enough away so that the guard wouldn't act on his threat to call the police.

"Is this seat taken?"

Lainie looked up to see some teenage boy, no more than fifteen or sixteen, standing beside her. "Beat it kid. I'm not about to be your teacher in sex ed."

The dark-haired boy chuckled without any real humor. "Lady, I'm not interested in you like that. Not that I wouldn't jump at the chance. I'd just be real careful around you. You've got that praying mantis look, ya know?"

"Praying Mantis?" Lainie frowned.

"Mates and then kills," the teen snickered.

"Well, since you'll never know, you need not worry."

The teenager sat down, ignoring Lainie's glare.

"Why are you driving a car from Tracy Enterprises and not be on campus with the Golden Boy?"

Lainie started before frowning once more. "I don't know -"

The boy interrupted. "Drop it, lady. I hacked into the New York DMV system and ran the plate. From the glare you are giving Good Ol' Wharton's, you look like it is blocking you from getting your hands on something or someone you want real bad."

"Only if I can get my hands on the little brat's throat," Lainie muttered then froze, appalled that she had said that out loud.

"So it is Alan Tracy you hate," the teen smirked before holding out his hand. "I'm Kyle Westcott. And I think the two of us can have a real solid relationship based on our mutual feelings towards the Golden Boy."

"What did the little bastard do to you?" Lainie snapped.

"That's not important," Kyle said coolly. "What is important is that I want him hurt. Fine," he snarled when she simply continued to stare. "No one should get all that he has. Pretty boy looks, good grades, money, fame – even a spot on the track team that should have been mine. I was in the AP program at my last school and when I got transferred here, they said if Alan Tracy didn't come back in the fall, I could have his spot. But he came back. His family wanted him to stay home. He could have stayed home. Unlike some people, his family wants him there."

"We're barely here two weeks," Kyle continued to rant. "And he already had visitors. One of his brothers shows up and brings his hot girlfriend. And she proceeds to let Alan, who doesn't even have his learner's permit yet, take a spin behind the wheel of a classic sports car. And he confirmed that another brother would be at the Family Day Weekend. Then he lets slip that another brother will be a guest lecturer for the Astronomy class. Do you know how hard it is to get in that class? But they let pretty boy have a spot. A sophomore in a class meant for Juniors and Seniors. I'm a Junior, I should have been in that class. But no. The teacher probably just wanted John Tracy to lecture and probably figured if he had Baby Tracy in his class, he had a better shot."

Kyle clenched his fists by his sides. "He gets too much. I know someone who is trying to break even with the Tracys. But for now, I would be happy to see the Golden Boy get hurt."

"Maybe hurt," Lainie mused. "Maybe a lot more than hurt."

Giving Lainie a vicious grin, Kyle held out a hand. "Lady, I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

* * *

Two hours later, Lainie was watching from across the quad, pretending to be the older cousin of Kyle Westcott. She wouldn't be able to get anyone off campus, but as long as the Junior signed her in, she could visit. But they agreed that on the off-chance Alan recognized her from Bailey, it would be best if she avoided the teenager.

Alan leapt up, grabbing a Frisbee that was being casually tossed across the grass. Students were spread all over the quad, some reading, but many just sitting and enjoying the sunshine. Some were making joking remarks, shouting across the quad. Lainie was surprised at how many friendly comments were directed to Alan.

"I can't believe that everyone puts up with that spoiled brat," Lainie muttered, never forgetting how much his older brothers had adored their baby, standing together to do whatever it took to protect him.

"What can I say," Kyle snarled. "Golden Boy Tracy gets whatever he wants. I'm sure it's been the same for years."

"That's enough, Westcott," a voice behind them said coldly.

Lainie and Kyle turned to see Tomo Wattame glaring at them from behind.

"We both know," Kyle angrily said, "that I should have been given the position on the team and not some pretty boy who can't even compete – if he ever could."

"I'm the captain this year," Tomo said firmly. "And the coach agreed with me. This is a TEAM sport and there is no place on a team for someone who only thinks of themselves. Alan can't compete this season since he is still recovering, but he still works out with us and helps with equipment. He's also agreed to tutor another player in order to make sure the kid can stay on the team."

"He can't have been hurt all that badly," Lainie said casually. "He looks fine."

Tomo moved his glare from Kyle to Lainie and snapped. "Lady, he almost _died_. He was almost _paralyzed._ That Alan has recovered to the point he has is a testament to how strong a person he is, inside and out. I've known Alan Tracy since he was eight. He's a good person and I'm proud to call him my friend."

"And," Tomo added, his gaze still frosty as he turned back to Kyle, "don't think I forgot how buddy-buddy you were with the Barry Sheehan. Or that you knew him back in Chicago. That jerk almost _killed _Alan and left him to die by the side of the road. I look forward to the day when the police finally catch up to him and he gets his just desserts."

"It was an accident!" Kyle growled, standing up and shoving Tomo back.

"It stated as an accident, maybe," Tomo agreed before snapping. "But leaving a barely fifteen year old kid broken and bleeding on the side of the road – worse, covering him up so it was harder to find him? That's cold, man. It's inhuman."

The raised voices and angry stances of the two upperclassmen had drawn attention but no one was willing to approach and get in the middle.

Well, no one but Alan.

"Tom?" Alan asked as he approached. "Everything OK?"

Lainie pulled her sunglasses closer to her face, looking at the ground as she hoped Alan didn't notice her.

Tossing one last glance at Kyle, Tomo turned and smiled at Alan.

"Yeah, Alan, everything's good. Just a debate about sports."

Alan shook his head with a chuckle. "Man, nothing can be that serious, can it?"

"Except the Yankees and Red Sox," Tomo countered, ready for their regular debate on the two teams.

Smiling at Kyle, Alan chuckled. "Well, if that's it, this guy can't be too bad if he agrees that Boston beats the Yankees hands down."

"This guy?" Kyle asked, surprised. "You don't remember me?"

Alan paled slightly, glancing at Tomo, one of his few fellow students to know of the gaps in his memory.

"Um, sorry, no. I mean, I've seen you around campus, but -"

Tomo cut him off. "Don't worry, Alan. Westcott here transferred in this semester. Not really sure why he would expect you to know him."

Kyle watched Alan carefully. How could the younger boy have forgotten Kyle making it clear that _he _wanted a spot on the fall track team or into the advanced placement program? That the headmaster had shrugged but said that Alan had been there before Kyle and had earned his place and that the only way that Kyle could been in either program was if someone else dropped out. Or Alan laughing and saying that someone might, but it sure wouldn't be him.

Nudging Alan, Tomo grinned. "Hey, I just came to tell you guys – dinner got scrapped. Seems there is a problem with the stoves and they can't cook tonight. It should be fixed for breakfast but for now meatloaf has been traded in for a huge order of pizza."

Fermat, who had put away his book to join the group, smiled. "C-c-cool!" he grinned. "It m-may be the b-best d-din-din, meal we have had in ages."

Several people who had gathered around laughed and they began to move towards the cafeteria. Alan glanced over his shoulder.

"Tom? You coming?"

"In a minute," the Senior assured him before addressing Kyle.

"Leave him alone, Westcott," the Asian boy looked menacingly. "I don't know what your problem is, but it's not gonna be Alan, got it?" Tomo turned and walked away.

"He doesn't even remember me?" Kyle whispered before his face went red in fury. "I'm so unworthy that he doesn't even remember me?"

"Trust me," Lainie hissed in his ear. "By the time we are done with Baby Tracy – he'll remember you for the rest of his life. No matter how little time that may be."

* * *

_**A/N - I love some of my OCs. Ones you love to hate. But they are good at that. So Kyle is back. Ana is there. More soon - CC**_


	10. Ch 10 Memories from the Shadowed Past

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimers - Of all the things I've lost in life, I miss my mind the most. It flittered away, one summer day, took the last train for the coast. If you may find it along the way, please send it back to me one day. But Thunderbirds were never mine - oh, hell, just never mind.**_

_**Oh, the poem that Alan uses is also a three-hanky song called "I Believe" by Diamond Rio. According to Sammygirl1963 and Sam1 (what is it about me and Sams?) you'll need all three hankies.**_

**One review away from 100. Who gets the cookie?**

* * *

**Chapter Ten – Memories from the Shadowed Past**

**Columbus Day Weekend**

Scott Tracy hummed along with a song on the radio as he drove his rented vehicle away from Springfield Airport. The Tracys always preferred to use the smaller airport – well, smaller when compared to Logan International in Boston – when they came to Wharton's.

"Except Virgil," Scott said to himself with a smirk. Virgil may not have minded before he hooked back up with Sarah Jane but now this gave him an excuse to visit the red-head. Scott's smirk morphed into a smile as he thought about the strong, beautiful women his brothers were all falling in love with.

Emily Haas had the physical appearance of a fragile porcelain doll – with a core made of titanium steel. Smart enough to challenge even the brighter of the Tracy Brothers, she also loved John with an unwavering devotion that John returned in full. Scott couldn't wait until those two made him an uncle. A vision of John holding a baby, blonde hair peeking out of the pink blanket –

_Pink? _Where the hell did _that _come from? There hadn't been a daughter born to the Tracy Family in the entire time of them being in America. If there hadn't been a bit of pink and lace in eight generations, why was Scott imaging John and Emily with a daughter?

Shaking his head, Scott's mind jumped to his other blonde brother. Alan was his baby as much as he was their father's. It had been Scott's hands that had Alan had clung to as he learned to walk, Scott who could calm the fussy baby the fastest. Heck, even Alan's first word had been "Scott". Granted, it had sounded more like "Scoot" but the beaming smile as he looked at his big brother had made it clear what the baby had meant.

Scott could still recall the first time Alan and Tin-Tin had met. His father had brought the Kyranos to the Island, after the first incident with the Hood. The man had enslaved his own brother for his illegal mine, which had later collapsed, becoming an early rescue of the fledgling International Rescue. Having met Onaha and Kyrano years earlier, Jeff had instinctively trusted them with his secrets, but more importantly – with his sons.

Alan had been away at school when the Kyranos arrived but was brought back to the island soon after when Gordon had been critically injured in that hydrofoil crash. The then young boy hadn't paid much attention to Tin-Tin at the time except to seem to resent her. Alan wasn't allowing some stranger – worse, a girl – near Gordon while the red-head struggled through his recovery.

But the entire family had been amazed at how quickly the boy had become close to Kyrano and Onaha. The quiet gentle man had always made time for the rambunctious boy and it seemed as if Onaha couldn't wait to mother the motherless child. Scott had watched on occasion as his father looked almost sad the way Alan seemed to turn to the couple, often before his own family.

That thought made Scott frown. Was it that Alan had been more willing to turn to the Malaysian couple or was it that his family had excluded him so often that the boy had been merely trying to protect his heart from further pain? When Scott thought of how far the family had pushed their youngest away before the Hood…God. The Hood. Even now Scott's heart clenched when he remembered that awful day. The Tracys had always been aware that they could be killed, much as any emergency personnel had to be. But to be murdered by a madman? And worse, to be helpless knowing that the lunatic was in their home, threatening Alan?

Scott pushed away the cold chills that always came when he thought of what could have happened that day and instead embraced what had happened. Alan had proven his worth that day, a real Tracy, and the family had come to see how much they could have lost. And whatever had been wrong between Alan and Tin-Tin had seemed to become right. The oldest Tracy son grinned as he thought of the look on his father's face when the man had seen the two teenagers sitting by the pool, their hands timidly touching before Tin-Tin leaned her head onto Alan's shoulder and Alan's face becoming buried in Tin-Tin's hair.

"_Darn it," _Jeff had muttered. _"Penny was right again."_

Chuckling, Scott recalled the e-mail he had gotten from Alan, shortly before leaving the island. _"Scott – Sarah is coming, too. She can only come Sunday. But make sure she is on the list. You either have to walk her in or have dad sign the form. Alan."_

This e-mail was followed thirty second later by a second one.

"_Here's the form."_

Scott had almost asked why Virgil's girlfriend would come when Virgil couldn't be there but he almost smacked his head – which Sarah Jane would have happily done for him if he had questioned it. Sarah Jane Woodbury had adored Alan since he was a baby. Even before the little girl had saved their baby from choking on a marble that Gordon and Virgil had allowed too close, Scott could still remember her trying to look at Alan whenever she could, fascinated by the baby. After she had saved Alan, the Tracys had begun including their red-headed neighbor in most family events.

Thinking of that made Scott see things with the eyes of an adult that he had missed in his youth. John and Annette Woodbury had loved both of their daughters but John had buried himself in work most of the time and Annette – well, Holly had defined _high maintenance. _There just wasn't a lot of time for quiet, scholarly Sarah. But first his mother then his grandmother had made sure that the sweet girl was always welcome in their home. Sarah Jane had quickly become the sixth Tracy child in all but name. Heaven help anyone who teased the little girl about her thick glasses or fire engine red hair. Anyone who made "their Sarah Jane" cry would find themselves facing the combined wrath of the Tracy boys.

But as time went on, Sarah Jane didn't come crying to her "brothers" any more. Most people knew better but Scott had heard whispers of what had gone on during the years Virgil and Sarah had attended high school. Anyone with eyes could see the girl adored his middle brother. And with time, Virgil had begun to look at Sarah differently…But then came the fire.

"_I'm home," Scott had called out as he had entered the house, anxious to see his brothers, having arrived for Virgil's high school graduation._

"_Scott," John had solemnly stood in the door to their father's study. Scott's heart had clenched as he had entered the room, breathing in a sigh of relief at the sight of his father, grandmother and Virgil seated throughout the room.. Even out the window, he could see Gordon standing nearby as Alan sat quietly on a swing in the yard._

_Wait. Alan sitting quietly? That was even more disturbing then the red-rimmed eyes of the rest of the family. It was then that they broke the news of the overnight fire down the road. Scott had vaguely smelled smoke when he had arrived but assumed someone was clearing brush. The Woodbury home was down the road and around the curve – not visible from the front of their house. John, Annette and Holly were all dead. Sarah Jane was in the ICU at a hospital in Kansas City. She wasn't expected to make it._

Scott grinned as he pulled himself from the morose memories, remembering the pictures and sketches of Sarah Jane that had accompanied stories from each of his brothers in recent weeks. The young woman was hoping to swap a shift so that she could make it out to Wharton's for part of Family Weekend. He found himself looking forward to seeing her once more.

And then there was Gordon. Scott wasn't sure how far the relationship with Lisa McCallister was going to go, but Scott had a background check run on her and she seemed nice enough. Ann Marie also thought highly of the intelligent young woman and she seemed as if she was a good influence on Gordon. _Nowhere to go but up there_, Scott grumbled to himself.

As Scott pulled up to the security gates of Wharton's, he sighed deeply. It seemed like everyone in his family – _cough, not supposed to know just how __**friendly**__ Dad and Lady P are, cough – _had a romantic life. While he was happy that his family was happy –

"I need to get out more," Scott muttered as he rolled his window down, startling the security guard. Smiling when the man looked at him in surprise, Scott offered up his ID and signed an electronic log. Taking back his wallet, Scott nodded and drove forward, looking forward to seeing his youngest brother for the first time in over a month. Vid-phones were great, but –

"Scott!"

Scott had just pulled into a parking space near the dorms when he heard his name being called. Turning with a smile, he found his arms filled with a flying blonde. Pulling back, he grinned at his youngest brother before hugging Alan once more.

"Missed you, Sprout," Scott mumbled into Alan's hair, grinning when Alan's soft "_you too_" was followed by "and don't call me Sprout".

This would be a great weekend.

* * *

Sarah Woodbury drove down the Mass Turnpike, weaving through the traffic until she reached her exit, grumbling mildly at the read-out on her EZ Pass indicating that the "privilege" of driving down a Massachusetts highway was still ridiculously high.

"I swear," she grumbled, "we are still paying for the Big Dig, decades after the fact."

Wincing slightly at the tug of the bandage on her left arm, Sarah couldn't help but think of the multi-billion dollar construction project that had caused more than a few taxes, tolls and tempers since to be raised since its inception. Her injury, seven stitches on her arm just above her wrist, had come about when she and Tommy had pulled three teenagers from a vehicle caught in a collapsed potion of the Ted Williams tunnel leading to Logan Airport. Hopefully, the tunnel would be repaired before anyone was seriously injured, or, God forbid, killed.

Pulling up to Wharton's, Sarah just hoped that one of the Tracys had assured that the proper paperwork had been filed. _Otherwise_, Sarah sighed in her head, looking at the long line of people who didn't have proper access. Visitor weekends at colleges and boarding schools like Wharton's were always a nightmare.

Smiling at the guard, Sarah brush a hand over her red hair, knowing it had to be terribly windblown after a drive like this from Boston. But it had been such a beautiful autumn day that Sarah couldn't resist. Always self-effacing, Sarah had no idea how her earthy beauty shone through at that moment.

"Sarah Jane Woodbury," she softly said. "I am here to visit Alan Tracy. He said he was having his father sign paperwork so I could drive in."

"It-it sh-should b-be there," a new voice added. Hiram "Brains" Hackenbacker came up from the side, his taxi having dropped him off. With Scott visiting, Brains had seen no purpose in renting a separate car. The resident genius of Tracy Island had been at a meeting in Chicago and had flown in commercial on Saturday, Scott picking him up with his Fermat and Alan beside him. Now it was the last day and Alan was preparing for one of the presentations that had been going on all weekend, so Brains had walked off the campus to a nearby drugstore when he had realized he had run out of his allergy meds. It was times like this the gentle man knew he'd never make it in a place with these kind of pollens so rampant!

The guard nodded. "Yes, Professor Hackenbacker – Mr. Tracy signed it. Ms. Woodbury, if I can just see a photo ID?" Sarah handed him an ID and the man nodded before smiling. "Thank you, Ms. Woodbury. Have a good day.""

Sarah smiled back before turning to Brains. "Your Fermat's dad, right?" When Brains nodded, her smile grew. "Well, hop in."

Brains climbed in and Sarah waited until he was settled. As they drove forward in silence, occasionally slowing as students and visitors crossed their path, Brains finally spoke.

"I n-never g-get t-tired of f-foliage, do you?"

Looking around briefly at the array of autumn colors, Sarah shrugged. "It's beautiful, but I wish more leaf peepers would get out and walk. There'd be fewer accidents."

"I g-guess that w-would matter to a para-para- rescue personnel."

Sarah laughed and Brains glowed with the warmth of the soft, husky sound, reminding him of a gentle brook. _Virgil, _he thought with a touch of harmless envy, _Tracy luck is holding out for you as well._ Sighing, he changed the subject.

"N-nice veh-veh, c-c…automobile," Brains stuttered. "W-well t-tuned."

Pulling into a parking space, Sarah Jane glanced over at Brains. "Oh, yeah. You are Fermat's dad – he said the same thing. All Alan could say was "Cool"."

Brains shrugged as he got out of the car, waiting for Sarah to raise the top and lock up her car. Frankly, he thought both boys were right.

* * *

John was typing another report – this one for Tracy Enterprises – when he heard a call coming through. Recognizing the number, John didn't bother with anything to hide the fact that he was answering from Thunderbird Five.

"Hiya, Emmy," the astronomer smiled at his fiancée.

"Hiya yourself, Starman," Emily smiled back.

"You're not being routed through the Island," John said, curious. "How did you know I wasn't in a _meeting_?" John teased as he relaxed in his chair.

"Because," Emily explained, "I just got off the phone with your father and he said you were just typing up some security reports. Anything I can ask about."

"Just internet usage," John shrugged. "We check to see if people are, well, doing things they shouldn't."

"How big a program is that?" Emily gasped.

John laughed. "It's not for the whole world, Emily. Just Tracy Enterprises. We hire good people but you'd be amazed at what people Google when they think no one is looking. Dad follows the three strikes warning. First a verbal warning, followed by a written and on the third strike -"

"You're out," Emily finished. "I get it. So no _adult _web sites, huh?"

"And no sharing information you shouldn't, no insider trading or anything else," John said firmly. "We've caught two cases of fraud, five attempts at industrial theft and one security officer was fired last year for trying to sell the location of Alan's boarding school to a reporter."

Emily frowned. "John, most people know where Alan goes to school. Who would pay for that?"

Sighing, John shook his head. "Emmy, most people know now, after the hit-and-run incident. But prior to that, it was practically a state secret. Dad wanted Alan to be protected and the media not knowing where he was when the kid was away from the Island was a big part of that."

"Oh," Emmy nodded, suddenly understanding. "Sorry."

"No big," John said hastily, not wanting to hurt his fiancée's feelings. The two began to talk about the wedding and John kept trying to get details about her dress out of Emily. Wrapping up their conversation, John pushed aside details about Elaina Roy's search of the Tracy Family. He was fairly sure it was innocent, a former classmate curious about the family she used to know. But John did note to call Ann Marie.

It might not be a bad idea to keep a close eye on the new hire.

* * *

Alan watched nervously as Sarah pulled up and climbed out of the T-Bird, Brains following.

"Hey, Fermat," the teen called behind him. "Your dad is back."

Fermat stepped out, grinning when Brains loped up the stairs, Sarah following in a more graceful stride. The redhead smiled and hugged Alan before smiling at someone behind the teens.

"Hiya, Scooter," Sarah softly spoke as Scott came out of the dorm.

Scott Tracy smiled in return, pulling Sarah into a fierce hug before kissing her forehead. "Hiya yourself, Sarah Jane. Man, when, you grew up, you did an awesome job."

Sarah chuckled and blushed to the ends of her equally red hair. Scott just shook his head and sighed. "Damn – um, darn it. Why do my brothers get the prettiest girls on the planet?"

Sarah looped her arm into Scott's as the group began to cross the quad to the auditorium for the next presentation of the weekend. "You just wait, Scott. There's a girl out there for you. And when you meet her, you'll know. You Tracy men fall hard and fast. And she will be perfect for you, she will complete you in a way you never know you were missing."

"Like you are doing for Virgil?" Scott teased gently.

Blushing once more, Sarah had a dreamy look on her face. "I hope so."

"We missed you, Sarah Jane," Scott said seriously. "I hope you know that."

"I missed all of you as well," Sarah assured him.

Shaking his head again, Scott grinned. "I hope Virgil knows how lucky he is. I mean, I can't believe none of the men in Boston didn't scoop you up."

"Maybe," Sarah mused, "some things are worth waiting for."

Before Scott could respond, Brains was asking the boys a question.

"S-so, wh-what's n-next?"

"Actually," Alan gulped, "I'm part of the next presentation."

"Really?" Scott asked. Turning to Sarah, he smiled and gestured at Alan. "The astronomy class did an awesome presentation yesterday. I recorded it for John. If you want, I can send you a copy."

"That would be great," Sarah agreed, nodding her head. Turning to Alan, she asked, "So what class is this for?"

Alan swallowed hard. "AP English. We had to write a brief essay of a life-changing event or strong memory. Then do a poem or ballad for it, since we were studying medieval English Lit at the time."

"Was that the one you sent me?" Sarah asked warily, looking at Scott.

Nodding, Alan was doing his best not to look at Scott when Sarah spoke again.

"Alan, has anyone else in the family read this?"

The blonde began to shake his head before he shrugged. "Well, John knows the premise."

Scott was confused. It couldn't be the Hood or anything else to do with the Thunderbirds. He knew Jeff had agreed that Virgil could tell Sarah and his brother was planning on doing so the next time he saw his girlfriend. But there was no way Alan would ever reveal that their family was International Rescue in a school essay! So what had Alan so nervous?

Before Scott could ask what was going on, a middle age woman approached with an enthusiastic grin on her face.

"Mr. Tracy!" she called out cheerfully, halting for a moment when both Scott and Alan turned. Laughing, she shook her head in amusement.

"Sorry," she chuckled. "Alan, please go to the green room. We will be starting shortly and you will be third. You need to get ready."

Smiling at Scott when Alan headed to a door at the right side of the stage, the woman held out a hand. "I'm Mrs. Gosselin, Alan's Advanced Placement English Lit teacher. I am also the advisor to the student arts society. I wish Alan would be willing to do more of that. He helps out and is very talented. Such a lovely voice! But he prefers athletics to the arts, I fear, and doesn't feel it would be fair to commit to anything when he hopes to be back to running track in the Spring."

Sarah smiled. "Alan used to love to sit and listen to his brother play."

Mrs. Gosselin nodded. "That would be Virgil, correct?" When Sarah nodded, the woman smiled. "Yes, Alan has mentioned that. I found him playing the piano one day and he said his brother was brilliant at it. He even has some recordings of Virgil playing that he listens to when he gets homesick."

Looking at Sarah, the woman asked, "Would you be Sarah Jane?" At Sarah's dropped jaw, Mrs. Gosselin laughed. "Alan said how you would sing for him when he was a child and how comforting it was after – well, after reading Alan's essay I can understand how such a young boy would have horrific nightmares. He has been so happy that he has reconnected with you. But you were such a positive part of his life, I can see how much joy that would bring him."

"Alan has always brought us joy," Scott said softly.

Beaming, Mrs. Gosselin patted his hand. "Yes, I can see that. You know, among the families of our students, such a close, loving family is rare. I hope you know how blessed you are."

Before they could answer, the lights flickered and Mrs. Gosselin smiled. "Well, that is our signal." Looking around, she pointed to the second row where Brains and Fermat were waving.

"It looks as if the Hackenbackers have saved you seats." Gesturing to the small digital video camera in Scott's hand. "And I am sure you want to record this for the rest of your family. Alan was the only Sophmore selected, I hope you know."

Scott and Sarah Jane both beamed at that as they headed to the seats next to the Hackenbackers but Sarah lost her smile for a moment as she glanced at Scott. This was going to devastate Scott but it was a moment long overdue.

Alan Tracy fidgeted from his seat near the door, jumping slightly when Tomo sat down next to him.

"Hey, Blondie," Tomo teased before frowning when Alan muttered _hey_ and then didn't say anything more.

"What are you worried about?" Tomo asked. "Your family should be proud. It was an awesome essay. And a great poem."

"About a subject that they don't realize I can remember," Alan shrugged.

"Whoa," Tomo breathed. But before he could say anything else, Mrs. Gosselin leaned into the room.

"It's your turn, Alan," the woman smiled.

Alan stood up and braced himself. Time for the past to catch up to them.

Alan looked out at the crowd. He was pretty sure he could make out Scott and he knew the Hackenbackers were there. But it was Sarah Jane's sweet smile that gave Alan the courage to read his essay.

"Throughout our lives, people will come and go. Some for a little while, some for years and some die and we will not see them again in this life. It was the loss of one person that shaped so much of my life."

Scott's hand shook for a moment before bracing on the camera. He knew what was coming but still –

"When I was three years old, my family went on vacation. Not a big thing – families go on vacation all the time. But it was to us. Time was precious and it was great for us to get away together. For the first several days, it was pretty normal. Then one day, we split up."

"Dad took my middle brothers skiing while my mom and I built a snowman. I don't remember much about that day. That isn't uncommon. Most real memories are not secured by our minds until we are much older. The rare exception to that are usually extremely traumatic memories."

"If you asked me about my memories of my mother, I would usually say I really can't recall her. For the most part, that is how it is for me. My memories of my mother are more senses - a scent, a touch, the sound of singing. Sometimes, I wonder how much of that tends to be stories people have told me and how much is actual memories."

Sarah glanced at Scott. She had already read Alan's rough draft of the essay and she had long known about the paper's subject but was more than aware that Scott had never been aware of Alan's memories. The single tear that trickled down the usually stoic man's cheek almost broke her heart. Reaching out, Sarah placed a comforting hand on Scott's arm, receiving a brief glance of thanks before Scott refocused on recording his brother's presentation.

"What I never told my family was that the trauma of that day did cause me to keep one sharp memory. A memory I both regret and keep close to my heart. My sole clear memory of my mother is of her dying."

"Many people are aware that my mother died in an avalanche. Fewer people knew that I was trapped in that same avalanche. And the number of people who knew I remembered the whole thing could, until recently, be counted on one hand – and that includes me."

"My family was so devastated by our mother's death that I couldn't imagine telling them that I remembered the whole thing. It didn't help," Alan grinned wryly, "that I didn't speak for weeks after the accident. By the time I did speak again, I guess I had decided that I wasn't supposed to talk about mom. No one ever did. It was like the old adage of the elephant in the room. It's huge and it will affect you but nobody will talk about it."

Alan sighed and clutched his paper tightly before beginning to speak again.

"When my mother and I were trapped under the snow, we must have been in a pocket of air. She could only move one arm and Mom reached out to touch my face. I can never forget her words."

As Alan spoke, everyone could almost could feel themselves transported back into the teenager's memory.

"_Allie, baby?"_

_Alan looked over at his mother's pain-filled blue eyes. The white snow was pressing down on him. This was worse than when Gordon had tackled him when they were playing back home. At least there, Scott had pulled Gordy off of him._

"_Baby, I want you to remember what I am telling you." When Alan nodded as best he could, Lucy continued. "Allie, you need to remember how important family is. They love you and they need you. I know your father and brothers will take care of you but you need to look out for them as well."_

_When Alan started to cry, Lucy brushed the tear from his far-too-white face. "Baby, please don't cry. You have to remember that I love you and that I will never really leave you and our family. Love never leaves. I promise. Mommy promises, Baby."_

Many in the audience had been visibly moved by Alan's memory. Those who knew him well could also see a slight tremor in his hand as he looked back down at the paper to continue.

"I remembered the first part. But it wasn't until an accident last Spring Break that I remembered the rest. In my heart I believe that my mother was with us on a day that could have cost my family another family member. When I close my eyes, I can still feel her beside us. In my heart, Lucille Tracy loved her family too much to leave us."

Picking up a new piece of paper, Alan cleared his throat. "The poem I wrote for today is called "I Believe".

_Every now and then  
Soft as breath upon my skin  
I feel you, come back again  
And it's like, you haven't been  
Gone a moment from my side  
Like the tears were never cried  
Like the hands of time  
Were pulling you, and me  
And with all my __heart__, I'm sure  
We're closer than we ever were  
I don't have to hear or see  
I've got all the proof I need  
There are more than angels watching over me_

_I believe, yes, I believe.  
Now when you die, your life goes on  
It doesn't end here, when you're gone  
Every soul is __filled__ with light  
It never ends, if I'm right  
Our love can even reach across eternity_

_Forever, you're a part of me  
Forever, in the heart of me  
I will hold you even longer  
If I can..__**  
**__Oh, the people who don't see the most  
See that I believe in ghosts  
If that makes me crazy, then I am  
Because I believe, yes, I believe that an angel is watching over me._

_I believe. _

Alan bit his lip as he finished, worried that Mrs. Gosselin had over-exaggerated that people would like his poem. He was just grateful that the woman had not gone forward with having the top poems set to music and the author's to act as their own troubadour. Alan was so caught up in his own thoughts that he missed the thunderous applause from his audience.

As the audience applauded, Alan looked out and saw Scott and Sarah clapping. He wasn't surprised to see Sarah Jane's tears, but Scott? In that moment he could have sworn he heard a gentle voice whisper to him.

_Go to your big brother, Baby. Scotty needs you._

Taking the steps down from the stage, Alan threw himself into Scott's arms. At some point, Brains had taken the camera from the visibly shaken oldest Tracy son and turned off the device as Scott fiercely held onto his youngest brother. Neither noticed the smell of lilacs wrapping around them in a warm breeze.

* * *

In the back of the auditorium, Kyle glared at the Tracys, who had broken apart long enough to pull Sarah Jane into their close knot.

"Bet he made all that up to get people to feel sorry for him," Kyle hissed as his "cousin" slipped from the shadows to stand next to him.

"We'll just have to make sure he joins his mommy soon, won't we?" Lainie smirked before she glared at Sarah Jane Woodbury.

"_Enjoy this moment," _Lainie hissed in her mind. _"You are the reason Holly isn't always with me. You ruined my life when I lost the only person who ever mattered to me. You don't get to be happy, Sarah Jane. No. You don't get a happily ever after."_

* * *

_**A/N - Told you I broke Scott's heart this chapter. **_

_**Sammygirl/Jean - Yes, you did! Meanie!**_

_**CC - Hey! After what you do to a certain dynamic, incredibly hot, duo of brothers? You don't get to say a thing, school marm!**_

_**Scott - School marm? Hey, that's kinda hot.**_

_**Alan - OK, that is a disturbing thought.**_

_**CC - Oh, no kidding. I don't wanna know about my parents having sex. Or my siblings. Or anyone else.**_

_**Jean - Prude.**_

_**CC - New Englander - it's in our blood.**_

_**Scott - All I've got to say to that - Kennedy.**_

_**CC - Huh. OK, forget I said that. **_

_**Jean - No way. Any time I can razz you, I will.**_

_**CC - Hey, I promised you a chance to "comfort" Scott. There he is. Here you are. And I have snacks and sweet tea for Alan and myself. In the other room. So go - comfort.**_

_**Alan - Um, hey - Scott? Scott?**_

_**CC - Alan, as long as I'm eating, I'm not traumatizing. **_

_**Alan - OK, sounds cool. I mean - you really can't do much, can you?**_

_**CC- To you? Nothing - yet.**_

_**Alan - CC, you scare me.**_

_**CC- You betcha! **_


	11. Chapter 11 Enter into the Darkness

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Just sitting here, watching Harry Potter 7, part one, gloating in the fact that I now own the Thunderbirds...Hey? Who are you? What's with the stick. **_

_**OBLIVIATE.**_

_**Um - I don't own the Thunderbirds. Nope, not me.**_

* * *

**Chapter Eleven - Enter the Darkness**

Alan looked at the vid phone in his room and noted the blinking red light. _Missed calls? His family knew his schedule. Why wouldn't they call when he was in, or wait and call his satellite phone?_

Checking the messages, Alan noted that it was his father, saying to call first chance he got. Thinking of his grades – _excellent, thank you kindly_ – was followed by what he could have possibly done to get himself in trouble. Unlike Gordon – who was still hiding from Scott after a Vera Wang catalog was left on Scott's bed with a completed order form for a formal gown in Scott's approximate size filled in – Alan was pretty sure he had done nothing to earn a summons.

When Jeff Tracy's face filled the screen, Alan decided to go with innocent. After all, as far as he knew – he was!

"Hey, Dad," Alan said casually, reaching for a bag of trail mix. He didn't know where Sarah had gotten this stuff from, but it was positively addictive. "What's up?"

Jeff sighed softly, before worrying his lower lip. "Alan, we need to talk."

"Um, about what, Dad?" Now Alan was really getting worried.

Jeff played with a pen on his desk, tapping a report for a minute before speaking.

"Virgil had forgotten to mention something and when he did I was sure he had misunderstood. Until Scott said Sarah had said the same thing." Now Jeff had dropped the pen and pressed his fingers together under his chin.

"Alan, do you remember who brought you back to school after Spring Break last year?"

"Sure," Alan said quickly before he froze. Now it was his turn to worry his lower lip. Looking at his father with a touch of fear, he shook his head.

"No, Dad," Alan admitted. "I don't. I don't remember who brought me back. I guess I just assumed it was Lady P."

Jeff shook his head. "Penelope had already gone back to England. She did drop off Fermat, but I couldn't very well send you back to Wharton's when you still had those bruises from the Hood's attacks, now could I? Plus we all felt better keeping an eye on you. I brought you back myself. And we talked about a few things. Including the real reason I switched you to Wharton's."

"So Virgil was right," Alan said softly. "You did believe in me."

Smiling softly, Jeff nodded. "Alan, I know you are a good kid. You've made some impulsive decisions that weren't always the best ones, but you are basically a good kid. And your safety is the most important thing in where I sent you to school. How could I expect you to make the most out of your school if you weren't safe?"

Alan returned his father's smile with a nod. It made him feel great to realize that a lot of the tension that had happened wasn't necessarily Jeff being mad at _him _after the incident at the lab. Jeff was mad at something threatening him. Alan had become so defensive because of his brothers' teasing that he never realized what Jeff had really felt.

"There's something else," Jeff began, only for an alarm to start blaring behind him. Jeff glared at the alert for International Rescue but Alan just smiled.

"Time to go to work, Dad," Alan said softly. Jeff looked like he wanted to argue but Alan cut him off. "I've got a ton of homework and I have a tutor session tonight."

"Oh," Jeff said absently as his office began the shift to command and control. "What are you being tutored in?"

Alan laughed slightly, startling his father. "Dad," Alan corrected. "I'm tutoring one of the guys on the track team. English Lit. – Mrs. Gosselin says I have a real gift for it."

His brothers began to run into the room, calling out greetings that Alan answered before saying, "Gotta go, Dad. Love you. You guys come home safe, OK?"

It took Jeff a moment to realize Alan had disconnected the call. Steeling himself, the Tracy patriarch stood up. _When did my baby grow up? How did I miss that? _Jeff thought sadly even as he pressed a button on his desk to connect him to Thunderbird Five.

"OK, John – what's the mission?"

* * *

_Two hours earlier_

Sarah pulled out more gear and loaded up, stopping when Kelley grabbed her arm.

"What, Kelley," Sarah grumbled even as she tried to pull away from the man.

"Your helmet is loose again, Woody," Kelley chided. "Now I know you don't seem to mind losing this on a regular basis, but we really don't like taking you to Mass General."

Woody shrugged even as her fellow firefighter tightened her chin strap. "I have to go there three or four times a shift on average anyways -"

"He means as a patient," Tommy cut in, nodding his thanks to Kelley before the pair headed into the Ted Williams tunnel, moving carefully past the now deserted cars.

"I knew this was gonna happen eventually," Tommy grumbled.

"You, me and everyone but the Mass Turnpike Authority," Sarah said cheerfully, even as she climbed over a motorcycle with its front wheel smashed and wedged under a Fiat.

"How can you be chipper about this?" Tommy asked in astonishment.

"Hmmm. Well, it's either going be annoyingly easy," Sarah mused, "or the walls will begin to crack and they'll have to call in International Rescue. And then maybe I can get some autographs for Alan."

Tommy looked thoughtful. "OK, I'll give you that. But get some autographs for my boys as well."

"Deal," Sarah beamed as they entered further, their voices no longer able to be heard from inside the tunnel.

* * *

_Now_

"So what exactly happened again?" Gordon asked as Thunderbird Two soared across the skies.

"Well," John responded, knowing his words was being picked up not only on Two – both in the bay where Jeff and Gordon were reviewing supplies, and up front as Virgil flew the team's workhorse – but to Scott in Thunderbird One, "it's kinda complicated. Basically, some idiots tried to drive the wrong way through a tunnel leading to Logan Airport in Boston."

"The Ted Williams Tunnel," Virgil said absently.

"You know the names of all the tunnels in Boston, Virg?" Gordon teased as he set up emergency packs and put back up batteries with the emergency devices.

Jeff, John and Scott chuckled, even as Virgil hotly explained. "That's the tunnel I take to get to Sarah's place. It connects South Boston to the airport."

John became sober first. "There is one part that has me worried. Usually Boston emergency service could handle this themselves. Heck, they may call in help from nearby towns but not us."

"So what's the diff this time, John?" Scott asked as he approached Boston, minutes ahead of Thunderbird Two.

"There may be some structural compromise," John said solemnly.

"Johnny, that tunnel goes under the Back Bay in Boston," Virgil said slowly.

"They are more than aware of that, Virg," John responded.

Jeff looked at his one son, who nodded firmly, before speaking.

"OK, team. I'll be placing Gordon in Four on the outside of the tunnel. We need to keep an eye and make sure this doesn't go from bad to worse."

With that said, the Tracys began to prepare for their latest rescue.

* * *

Alan Tracy laughed as he led Tim Bradley into the Snack Shack.

"You're doing great, Tim," the blonde assured his fellow student. "You've really gotten the grasp of your subject. The essay just needs some polishing and Mrs. Gosselin will be thrilled with it."

Tim breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Alan. You've been great. Most of the other guys here just don't get how stressful it is for the scholarship students."

Thinking of two Seniors from the year before, Alan said nothing. One student had been grateful, eager to make the most of the opportunity given. Paul had been at Wharton's on an academic scholarship. But Barry had been attending the school on an athletic scholarship like Tim. Some of those students seemed to almost resent their fellow students, seeing their situations as "haves" versus "have-nots". While the Tracys were rich in money, it was their family that they considered far more valuable. And after having met Barry's mother this past summer, Alan was sure the self-centered jerk couldn't have learned his social snobbery from his family.

Sometimes Alan wondered where Barry Shaheen was. He knew Paul had taken the probation offered for his part in the hit and run and was now at school in California. The new college freshman was still in touch with Fermat and wrote to the younger boy often. Alan was happy for him – Paul really was a good guy.

Barry, on the other hand, had been cold and manipulative; hating anyone who he thought saw themselves as better than him. That Alan didn't actually see himself in that was irrelevant. It was all about what Barry thought that mattered. Not knowing where the other boy was – especially in the light of the fact that Barry had blamed Alan for all of his troubles – made Alan worry at times.

But not now. After all, he was at Wharton's, surrounded by friends. He was safe here.

* * *

Sarah had helped Tommy load the latest victim they found onto a gurney, pausing when she heard a noise deeper in the tunnel. The chain reaction accident had blocked most of the tunnel leading to the airport, with the area in reverse having been cleared for emergency vehicles and personnel only to use as a staging area. With the wind whipping up from a hurricane further down the Atlantic seaboard, the weatherman had predicted heavy rain and wind even though the storm itself would be heading out to sea somewhere around Long Island.

"Tommy," the red-head spoke, getting her partner's attention. "Do you hear that?"

The older man nodded, before gesturing at the patient. "Yeah, Woody, but we need to get this guy out of here."

"I'll help," a new voice added.

The paramedics turned to see Kelley coming towards them.

"Hey guys," the firefighter greeted his shift mates. "The cap sent me in to make sure we've gotten everyone."

"I can't be sure," Woody said. "If you can help Tommy get this guy to the staging area, I want to go in deeper."

"Keep your ears on," Tommy finally said. "Any sign of collapse, get out."

Sarah nodded, grabbing her handi-talk and what equipment she could carry on her own. Kelley looked at her as he grabbed the other end of the gurney.

"I'll send some more hands in to help you clear the scene, Woody," the man said before remembering what else he had wanted to tell her.

"Oh, and if you come out before we can make it back in, the paramedic truck is in the tunnel. The chief is on scene and he said the Thunderbirds are on their way. They need all the room they can to set down their vehicles."

Tommy grinned at his partner as she turned to make her way further in. "Looks like you may get that autograph for Alan after all!"

Woody just laughed before turning her attention to finding any more living victims.

* * *

Jeff approached where Scott had set up Mobile Command, just as the Fire Chief was walking away.

"Situation?" Jeff barked, for all appearance Scott's Commander.

OK, so he was that as well.

"Five dead when we arrived," Scott began, "twenty seven people taken to area hospitals. At least seven are still believed to be missing somewhere in the tunnel. Six fire stations have been activated, four of them with paramedic teams."

Glancing over at where Virgil was helping Gordon lower Thunderbird Four into the water, Jeff softly asked, "Sarah Jane?"

Shaking his head, Scott glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention. "I haven't seen her, but between the helmets and other gear, it might be hard to spot her."

Jeff looked to argue then a female firefighter in her gear – complete with a gender blurring turnout coat – bumped into him. Her mumbled "excuse me" made Scott chuckle.

"Told ya," Scott grinned at his father before he shrugged. "But seriously, sir, what are the odds?"

* * *

Alan sat with a group of friends, laughing at a joke Tomo had just told, before his eye caught the large screen television across the room.

"_This is Adam Pellerin, Fox 25 News, reporting outside the Ted Williams Tunnel. Three hours ago, a reported car-jacker tried to escape after stealing a car from short term parking at Logan Airport. Unfortunately for Boston commuters, the man then began to drive the wrong way along I-90, causing at least five minor accidents before entering the Williams Tunnel from the wrong direction. This led to a pile-up of an estimated forty or fifty vehicles."_

"_Authorities have confirmed at least five people are dead and more than two dozen have been taken to area hospitals. Now when I spoke with Chief Gage, he explained that the reason why International Rescue in was that a worse case scenario may just have come through."_

"_A tractor trailer truck, hauling cement drains and steel rods was slammed into an angle, causing the truck's load to be scattered throughout the tunnel. At least two people where killed when a drain pipe and another killed when a pipe rammed into his car. That was the immediate tragedy we became aware of. The next problem was debris has cause tiles to be loosened, support columns threatened and a possible leak has been reported in the center of the tunnel. With the threat of close to or maybe more than fifty vehicles, from double tractor trailer trucks to a simple motorcycle are caught in here, many of them leaking fuel, threatening a fire at any time. It is hoped that International Rescue, with their amazing machines and technology, combined with the best and bravest of Boston, will keep the body count low."_

"_And Adam," the on-screen personality Sharman Sacchetti asked, "what has happened to the person who caused the accident in the first place?"_

_The reporter shook his head. "No report yet, but with so many being rushed away, he could already be at the hospital."_

"_Any sign of International Rescue or their fabulous machines?"_

_Once more shaking his head, Pellerin explained. "The portion of the tunnel where the catastrophe occurred is cut off from anyone but essential personnel. Media has been allowed a small area near where emergency services have their triage and staging area prepared. As we understand and from what we could see, Thunderbirds One and Two I believe them to be, have landed. And we have heard that Thunderbird Four – a vehicle not often seen is being prepared."_

"Must need a water rescue," Alan murmured before the reporter could speak further. His classmates chuckled at his presumption.

But their chuckles died and they look at Alan in wide-eyed surprise when the reporter continued, _"This leads credence to the rumor that there is significant structural damage to the outside of the TW Tunnel. It's beginning to look like commuters are going to be finding the Sumner and Callahan Tunnels more to their liking."_

"_Keep us up to date on any new developments, Adam," _Anchorwoman Sharman said dismissively before speaking again. _"And now, a South Hadley woman is in trouble for raising Weasels in her two bedroom apartment. A former state senator, the woman claimed a natural affinity for the creatures and -"_

Tomo turned down the television before nudging Alan. "Anything major happens, I am sure they will be showing it all night. This is a relax session. So – chill, dudes."

"Man," Tony shrugged. "You so can't do street."

"Better than Pretty Boy Tracy can," he teased. Alan just blushed and ducked his head before allowing himself to be caught up in the fun.

But he still kept one eye out for the vid – and his family.

* * *

Virgil had grabbed a monitor with heat-seeking capability, hoping it could help lead to more victims. So far, he had only found another body. Virgil had duly marked his location so that once they had cleared out all of the wounded; rescuers would go back for the dead later.

He was about to report that he hadn't found anyone when Virgil heard a noise up ahead. Moving quickly between the cars, Virgil tried to draw the attention of the person he thought he heard.

"Hello? International Rescue…We're here to help," Virgil called out.

A young man, probably somewhere in his late twenties, leapt out from behind a car and began to scream at Virgil in some Asiatic language. Lacking John's – or even Alan's – gift for languages, Virgil could only hope soothing gestures work in place of actual words.

When the man began to wave a shot gun at him, Virgil muttered to himself, "OK, situation normal – all screwed up."

* * *

Sarah moved towards voices, picking her way carefully through the debris.

"_Hello? International Rescue…We're here to help," _she heard. Sarah kept going forward, pausing only for a second as she heard someone yelling in what sounded like Mandarin Chinese. She could only pick up a few words, but considering they were "Not alive" and "die" and "stupid American" – it didn't sound promising.

Grabbing her radio, Sarah ducked behind a construction vehicle.

"Squad 51 to base."

"_Squad 51, this is International Rescue. We have assumed command of operations. What is your situation?"_

Sarah frowned at her radio. She would swear she knew that voice…Shaking her head, she began to speak.

"International Rescue, one of your operatives is here and has been confronted by what I suspect was the carjacker who started the whole mess. And his heading down the wrong way from the airport is starting to make sense. I don't think he understands English. Mandarin Chinese, if I am correct."

A muttered _"and not a blonde to be found" _was so soft Sarah almost thought she imagined it, before he spoke. "Is that all, Squad 51?"

"Well, the foreign national also is armed. I don't suppose your guy is?"

"_Not usually," _the voice sighed. _"And unfortunately, not at this moment." _There was some discussion that Sarah couldn't follow when the voice spoke up again.

"_The state police want you to stay put and -"_

Just then the armed man began to scream what seemed to be curses at the International Rescue person and then began to fire his weapon repeatedly. A car forty feet away exploded, causing everyone to duck. The tunnel shook with the force of the explosion and before anyone could move, heavy tiles from the ceiling collapsed, trapping those caught underneath the debris.

The silence that now filled the tunnel was the scariest sound so far.

* * *

**_A/N - And now the real fun begins. PS - The rewards for reviews will be another chapter sooner rather than later. - CC_**


	12. Chapter 12 Emerge from the Darkness

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Not mine. But you were divine and oh so kind. And so I send out a few more lines. I hope you find it worth your time.**_

* * *

**Chapter 12 - Emerge from the Darkness**

_"Sarah Jane Woodbury! Get up. Get up now!"_

"I'm up, I'm up," Sarah muttered as she rolled over before freezing. What the heck? With the exception of the Tracys, there was no one in her life who called her Sarah Jane anymore. And there certainly wasn't a woman alive who –

"Shit!" Sarah cussed as she ducked just before a piece of burning ceiling tile would have landed on her. Forcing herself to her feet, Sarah gingerly moved, testing her body. Battered and bruised, but her turn-out coat had protected her from any serious burns.

Looking around, Sarah was appalled. How could anyone else have survived this? Oh, well – she had. It would be a good idea for her to check on the guy from International Rescue and the nut job with the gun who had – repeatedly – caused this mess.

Carefully moving among the debris, Sarah saw black hair under part of a piece of burning rubble. Grateful for her gloves, Sarah pulled at the flaming debris and tossed it to the side – only for the head she uncovered to roll in the opposite direction, still ablaze. The rest of the body, Sarah noted as she lost her lunch, was about ten feet away. The bloody shard of steel on the floor where she had found the head had clearly acted as the first boomerang-ax in the history of Boston.

"Well, that will save us a visit from the ACLU." Sarah muttered, before she began to look around for the IR guy.

"_Woody!" _a voice on her radio crackled. _"Woody, are you in there?"_

"I'm here, Cap," Sarah acknowledged. "I'm on my way out, I promise. Don't send anyone in."

"_I'll give you five minutes, Woody. You aren't out here, I'm sending in a rescue team."_

When Sarah heard a hiss, she turned to see steam rising among the wreckage at the outer wall. A trickle of sea water was slowly leaking into the tunnel. "Great," she muttered. "Out of the broiler, right into the steam cooker."

If she couldn't find that IR man soon, it might be too late for either of them.

* * *

At the sound of an explosion echoing out from inside of the Ted Williams Tunnel, Jeff Tracy found his arms full preventing Scott from heading into the burning chasm after Virgil. But it took most of the gathered rescue workers to stop the members of Station 51 from heading in after one of their own. Jeff was speaking calmly, whispering in Scott's ear to "keep his cool, we'll get to Virgil", when he finally heard what the firefighters were saying and the words broke his heart.

"Woody!" a mustached man was yelling. "Damn it, Donovan! Let me go! That's our Woody in there!"

"I know, Kelley!" Donovan yelled turning to one of his teammates to add. "Thompson, if I have to, I'll have Sanchez and Yang sit on you! We all care about Woody too. We all owe Harriet Woodbury the world and we've all adopted her niece like she was our own. Your shift was just the one to get custody. But the last thing Sarah Woodbury would want is for anyone else to get killed. The girl is resourceful. If she's alive -"

Captain Delgado grabbed his radio. "Woody! Woody, are you in there?"

"_I'm here, Cap. I'm on my way out, I promise. Don't send anyone in."_

Delgado sighed in relief. "I'll give you five minutes, Woody. You aren't out here, I'm sending in a rescue team."

"Sarah Jane and Virg?" Scott whispered to Jeff. Their helmets covered their eyes but the men knew each other well enough to know they were both terrified. Today they might lose two family members.

* * *

Alan chuckled at a comment made by Tony when the frantic gestures of the television reporter caught his eye. Grabbing a remote, Alan turned up the volume.

"_Adam," _the anchor started. _"We understand that the situation in the Ted Williams Tunnel has gotten worse."_

"_That's right, Sharman," _the reporter said. _"Two rescuers – one from International Rescue and a Boston firefighter – were independently doing final sweeps of the tunnel when an explosion was heard from within. Now, the Fire Chief has confirmed that they have heard from their person but nothing from International Rescue."_

"_Will they be attempting a rescue?"_

"_They are giving them five minutes to get out before sending anyone in. With the tunnel becoming more structurally unsound by the moment, it is their opinion that putting more people in might only make the situation worse."_

The reporter turned and looked at something over his shoulder. After a moment, the camera turned slightly and Alan could see his father and one of his brothers – Scott? – standing by Mobile Command. Jeff Tracy had a device in his hand that Alan recognized as an advanced version of a heat-seeking monitor. Shaking his head in frustration, Jeff set it back down and watched as Scott began to check monitors.

"What do you think they are doing?" Tomo asked rhetorically, only to be surprised when Alan answered.

"The heat-seeking monitor wasn't giving a good reading. If there was an explosion, there might be a fire. It might be hard to read between the added heat and the thick tunnel walls." Seeing his friends look at him in surprise, Alan shrugged.

"Or at least, that's my best guess."

"Trust our resident Thunderbirds' expert," Tony cracked, only to pause when Alan looked scared. "Hey, Alan – don't worry. I'm sure the Thunderbirds will be OK."

Alan wasn't so confident so he just shrugged. "Well, it's just Sarah is on duty today as well."

Tomo put an arm around his younger friend in comfort. "Hey, what are the odds she is in there?"

Trying not to show his fear, Alan shrugged again. With his family's luck? The odds were pretty high.

* * *

Sarah was about to turn and head out of the tunnel as the smoke began to thicken and more water was leaking in…

Then her eyes caught sight of a gloved hand sticking out from under burning ceiling tiles.

Grateful for her own gloves, Sarah reached down and pulled off the flaming debris to see the still form of the International Rescue member. Kneeling beside the man, Sarah ran her hands over his body.

"OK, buddy – looks like you got lucky. I can't feel anything seriously out of place," she murmured. Reaching up, Sarah pulled the now cracked helmet off, absently noticing blood matted into the chestnut colored hair. Placing her hand under his neck for support, Sarah began to gently turn him over so she could examine him more carefully. Glancing at his face to see if he had awakened, Sarah froze suddenly.

"Virgil?" Sarah gasped, stunned to see her boyfriend's bruised and bloody face.

A thousand thoughts raced through Sarah's mind. Jeff Tracy taking his family to such a remote location. John's comment about how they had been "busy for the last few years" but no offers of what the Tracys had been up to. Alan's obsession with all things International Rescue that seemed to go beyond a normal interest. And the voice she had heard a little while ago -

"Scott Tracy, I would call you a son of a bitch," she muttered. "But I happened to have thought the world of your mother."

Looking around, Sarah realized she didn't have time to wait for help or even for Virgil to wake up on his own. Pulling off her heavy turn-out coat, Sarah slid it over Virgil's body to cover it from the flames and falling debris, before removing her helmet and replacing Virgil's shattered one. Reaching down, Sarah grunted as she lifted Virgil into a fireman's carry and began to make her way to the exit.

"_You are so lucky," _Sarah thought angrily, _"that one of the physical requirements for my department is to be able to bench press ten reps of two hundred pounds. Now I have a chance of getting you out of here alive."_

"_That way, I can kill you personally!"_

* * *

Alan was sickened at the way the reporter had such a solemn look on his face and a serious tone to his voice yet still had that shimmer of excitement oozing from his entire being.

"_The five minutes are almost up, Sharman," _the reporter was saying. _"And the general feeling is that if the two rescuers trapped within the tunnel don't emerge soon, this will turn into a recovery mission -"_

The reporter stopped talking and looked over his shoulder. _"There seems to be some activity at the exit of the tunnel…Yes! It looks like someone is emerging, carrying a second victim."_

"_Is that the International Rescue person carrying the firefighter?" _the anchor asked.

"_No," _the reporter continued, excited. _"It looks like the Boston Firefighter is carrying the Thunderbird, after having wrapped him in his – I mean __**her - **__coat! Yes, it looks as if the International Rescue man was saved by one of Boston's Bravest! There is the answer to who rescues the rescuers, isn't it?" _

Alan buried his anger at how clever the reporter apparently thought his quip was. The Hood wasn't someone he was fond of quoting. Biting his tongue to avoid saying anything, Alan suddenly sat up.

"Holy -"he gasped. "That's Sarah Jane!"

* * *

Captain Delgado turned to the Tracys. "Woody's five minutes is just about up. Are you coming in with us?"

Scott growled, "Try and stop us."

Just as they were gathering up their equipment, a figure staggered out from the tunnel, carrying a second person. The figure suddenly fell to their knees, only for two of the firefighters to run to their comrade's side.

"Woody!" Tommy gasped. "Are you OK?"

"I'll live," Sarah groaned as she allowed Kelley to take her burden from the slender woman's shoulders. She suddenly whirled and grabbed the firefighter's hand when he would have removed her gear from Virgil.

"NO!" she screeched only to breath hard as she explained. "The Thunderbirds operate under complete anonymity. We'll get him into an ambulance and then take care of him. We can't risk anything that could ID him."

"You got it, Woody," Tommy agreed, nodding at another Thunderbird who had come forward to place their teammate on a gurney. "But," he motioned to his partner, "you will be coming with us. You have some burns and need an O2 treatment. Don't think I didn't notice you were protecting him at your own detriment."

"I'm fine, Tommy -" Sarah began only to double over in a painful hacking cough. Tommy frowned at his partner only to nod as the second IR man and Kelley led the young woman to a waiting ambulance and placed a blanket around her shoulders and an oxygen mask over her face. The first international rescue man nodded to the second before leaving with Kelley to report back to command.

The International Rescue man still at the ambulance looked to climb up when Sarah held a hand up.

"We got it from here," she gasped, pulling off the oxegyn mask. "I promise you, we'll take good care of him and operate under complete confidentiality. Meet us at Mass General."

Jeff reached up and gently replaced the mask over Sarah's face. "Thank you. And – we'll talk at the hospital."

Sarah glared at him as her partner got ready to treat Virgil as soon as the doors closed. As the metal doors swung shut, Jeff could have sworn he heard Sarah say something.

"_You bet your ass we'll be talking."_

* * *

_**A/N - OK, I saved Virgil.**_

_**Virgil (mutters) Physically, at least. **_

_**Jeff - And why am I going to get yelled at?**_

_**Alan (grins) Better you than me. (Virgil and Jeff both glare at him so he just shrugs.) I'm Sarah's baby. She won't be mad at me. Right?**_

_**CC - You could be an ax murderer and Sarah would be OK with it.**_

_**Alan - Nah - I have enough extra-ciricular activities.**_

_**Jeff - Hey, where are Scott and John. **_

_**CC - Jean and Sam1 are distracting them so I can finish up some scenes. Lets just say things might be getting worse soon.**_

_**Alan - But you'll make them better and - oh, crap.**_

_**Jeff and Virgil - ALAN!**_

_**Alan - Hey, when she says that it will get worse, I am usually the one it gets worse for.**_

_**CC - Well, I did promise a return to Alan whumpage. So...Here we go! Brownies, anyone?**_


	13. Chapter 13 Drawing in the Dark

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - I don't own, never have never will. So calm yourself, take a chill. I don't fear a bolt of lightening zap...I - aw, lets face it: this gal can't rap.**_

**_Drawing in the dark, by the way, was something this old-timer I used to know would say. It meant you think you know where everything is and what to do, so you don't even need light. But when then the light will later reveal that you completely screwed up. _**

**_Also - um, I didn't answer most of the reviews. In the end, it came down to answer the remaining reviews or post. Posting won. Hope that is ok, because I really do LOVE reviews_._ I've just had a real busy week. Now, I am off to pick my daughter up from camping with her Girl Scout Troop. The best Mother's Day present I could ask for - my baby back. (Although the roses from hubby, along with a "just the two of us dinner since the kid is out of town", are NOT being returned.)_**

* * *

**Chapter 13 Drawing in the Dark**

Lainie smiled coyly as the gawky-looking man entered the room.

"So, Ms. Roy," he said nervously, tugging at his collar, "I heard you hurt your wrist."

Smiling, Lainie jumped off the small stool and strutted towards him, before grabbing him by the shirt front and kissing him fiercely.

"Well," she breathed hard, "that's what you should write up in your report."

Glancing quickly around the room, Lainie tried to keep her smile and not let it evolve into a smirk. Jeff Tracy did take good care of his people, even underwriting an urgent care clinic in the building across from the Towers. Lainie had known that it was next to impossible to get something she could use on Alan Tracy that could be blamed on Sarah Jane Woodbury without having access to medical personnel. This would be perfect. Every week Dr. Loser – um, Dr. Lessard – was here on the same day. Smart, but socially awkward, the man was putty in her hands. Today was the day she would finally access the keys he guarded like they would open Fort Knox.

Sliding off his jacket, Lainie smiled and kissed his neck. "Baby, don't worry," she cooed, using a pet name since she couldn't even remember his first name. "I'm the last patient of the day. That nurse kinda glared at me, but she left. I think she wants you. But you're mine, baby, aren't you?"

Edgar Lessard gulped and let the beautiful woman undo his tie before she began to unbutton his shirt. "Yes," he gasped as her hands moved to his belt buckle. "Oh, yes – all yours, Lainie. I'm all yours."

* * *

Jeff Tracy never seemed to realize, but he strolled into the halls of Mass General Hospital as confidently as the commander of International Rescue as he did as Billionaire Jeff Tracy. Not surprisingly, the eyes of everyone in the hospital turned to look at him.

Of course, that could also be the uniform, complete with helmet.

"Let me guess," a woman at the desk said, her name tag reading Pauline. "You're here for the guy from International Rescue."

"Good guess," Jeff responded, appreciating her attempt at humor.

"He's in trauma room three," Pauline smiled. "The doctor is examining him now."

"And S- The firefighter who rescued him?" Jeff asked, reminding himself that he probably shouldn't know Sarah Jane's name.

"Oh, yes, Sarah," Pauline said beaming. "That is just the kind of thing she would do. Her aunt trained me years ago. I tell you, Sarah looks and acts like Harriet Dunham. Brave, compassionate, just a good person. Your man was very lucky she was in that tunnel with him."

"How do you know about the rescue?" Jeff asked.

"My word, the vid has been playing it over and over," Pauline chuckled before checking her computer. "Sarah is in room four, right next to your man. There is even a connecting door. Why don't you knock? I know Dr. Brackett wanted her to have O2 treatment first."

Jeff nodded his thanks before moving over to the door that had a large number 4 on it. Knocking softly, he opened the door when he heard a muffled "_Come in". _Sucking in his breath, Jeff braced himself. Sarah Jane Woodbury had been trained by Ruth Tracy – and he knew a lecture was coming up. How bad it would be was what he yet had to see.

* * *

Gordon looked around to make sure everyone had given them plenty of space before approaching Scott.

"Hey," he said softly, making sure not to use his oldest brother's name. "No names, no faces" was an important rule that they lived by in International Rescue.

Scott glanced at his red-haired brother with a small smile. "Hey," he breathed out. "Do you have Four loaded?"

Nodding, Gordon smiled. "Yep. Mobile Command all set as well?"

Stretching, Scott nodded as well. "Yes. It feels weird putting it in Two instead of One, but D – the Commander needed it to get to Mass General."

Gordon chuckled. "He was probably just behind the ambulance," he said in amusement before turning serious. "He'll be OK, right?"

"I'm sure your guy will be fine," a voice said behind them, making them turn suddenly. The firefighter who had taken Virgil from Sarah Jane was smiling at them even as he wiped soot from his mustache.

"No brag, just fact," the man continued. "Tommy and Woody are the best paramedic team in Boston." Nodding slightly, he kept smiling.

"Names Kelley, by the way. That's a last name, not a first."

The brothers tried not to smile. Having Tracy for a last name had guaranteed the same thing for them a time or two.

"Thanks for the help," Kelley continued. "Captain Delgado confirmed that Woody and Tommy arrived at Mass General. Your man is being treated but it looks like he just got whomped pretty bad. He should be OK."

"And, um, Woody?" Gordon asked, trying not to call the girl he had once played with in a wading pool anything but Sarah Jane.

"She's a tough little gal," Kelley beamed with pride. "Her aunt was kinda a watchdog over all of us. She oversaw Emergency Services at Mass General for years and acted like we were all her kids. When Woody came here – she was hurt real bad. I'm amazed she lived when I remember how bad. But she's a scrapper, as my Granddad would have said."

Scott and Gordon nodded, remembering the look on Jeff Tracy's face when he came back from the hospital where Sarah Jane had been taken after the fire. By the time she got to Boston, Sarah would have recovered to some degree. Back in Kansas, she had been more dead than alive.

"We need to get loaded and get going," Scott said gruffly.

"Oh, sure," Kelley grinned. "Just wanted to say thanks from Boston for the help."

"Well," Gordon responded, shaking Kelley's hand. "Thank your paramedic for saving our teammate's life."

"No prob," Kelley chuckled. "Brothers, right?"

"What?" Scott said, trying not to look at Gordon in panic.

Kelley looked puzzled. "Brothers under the skin. Or under the uniforms. Just a bunch of guys crazy enough to go running in when everyone else is running out, as Woody would say."

"Yeah," Gordon grinned. "One big, happy, slightly dysfunctional, family."

With another chuckle, Kelley walked away with a wave, wondering how soon they could go check on Woody, knowing that the two Thunderbirds were doubtlessly thinking the same thing about their own teammate.

Jeff eased the door open when he heard the muffled "come in" and walked into the treatment room to see Sarah Jane on an exam bed, still in her dirty uniform with an oxygen mask covering her soot streaked face. A nurse looked up in surprise, ready to protest when Sarah Jane held out a hand and touched the woman's arm as she used her other hand to remove the mask.

"It's ok, Daisy," the younger woman croaked, her throat paying the price for the exposure to the conditions in the tunnel. "We need to talk for a minute."

"Sarah," the nurse, a forty-something blonde protested, "you need oxygen and we need to get you cleaned up."

Smiling, Sarah patted Daisy's arm again. "I'll be OK. And the sooner we get this out of the way, the sooner we can get the torture completed."

Daisy frowned before she left, muttering, "Its medical treatments, not torture."

As soon as the door was closed, Sarah rolled her eyes. "Its torture."

"You sound like one of the boys," Jeff said quietly.

Shrugging before she winced in discomfort, Sarah snapped, "Well, I grew up with them, didn't I? And – Oh, darn it all, will you take off that blasted helmet. I darn well know it's you, _Commander._"

Jeff pulled off his helmet and approached the bed. "I can't thank you enough, Sarah Jane. Once more you protected one of my sons at the detriment of your own health and safety."

"Just doing my job, _sir," _she responded, trying to keep a lid on her temper.

"Still," Jeff responded. "He is my son, and I would be devastated if anything happened to any of my boys."

"Then how can you do this?" Sarah cried out. "How? That was Scott at the command, wasn't it? John must be on the space station, right? And what – did you put Gordon in a wet suit to monitor the outside of the tunnel."

"Of course not," Jeff shrugged. "Gordon was in Thunderbird Four, our mini sub."

"And next," Sarah snapped, "I suppose you'll have Alan dragged into this mess."

Jeff decided it would be imprudent – and decidedly unsafe – to mention that Alan had been on a mission before the accident earlier in the year. Sighing deeply, he chose to redirect the conversation.

"What name do they have Virgil under?" he asked, knowing that something had to be put in the records.

"Not sure," Sarah grumbled. "But for now he is being treated as is."

"What?" Jeff snapped. "But I thought you understood -"

"In case you missed it," Sarah interrupted, "the paramedic in the ambulance was my partner. And believe me – he was surprised."

_Flashback –_

_Once the ambulance had begun to pull away from the accident scene, Tommy began to carefully remove the injured IR man's borrowed protective gear. He had set the helmet and damaged turn out coat aside before looking up at the man's face. Tommy almost dropped the bag of saline he was preparing for the man when he recognized the Thunderbird._

"_Virgil Tracy?" Tommy gasped. Looking at his partner, he asked, "Did you know?"_

_In a numb voice, Sarah answered, "Do I look like I knew?" She took a shuddering breath before continuing._

"_How could he?" Sarah whispered._

"_Yeah, his father will freak," Tommy shrugged._

"_I don't think so," Sarah snapped. When she realized her partner was looking at her oddly, Sarah went on. "They live on an island, Tommy. There are five adult Tracys, who live on an island. There are five known Thunderbirds, base unknown. Thunderbird One is would require a skilled pilot. Scott Tracy is a decorated Air Force Pilot. There is a space station – John was with NASA."_

"_So was Gordon Tracy the Thunderbird in the water?" Tommy joked._

_With a frown, Sarah nodded. She hadn't known one of them had been in the water. Had Gordon dove down?_

"_That would be my guess," Sarah said absently before she started being angry again._

"_How could they do that?" Sarah cried. _

"_Do what?" Tommy asked. "Save a lot of lives?"_

"_Alan lost his mother," Sarah snapped. "And now that poor baby has to be afraid of losing the rest of his family. They ship him off to a boarding school and play hero. What the hell are they thinking?"_

"_Woody." Tommy protested. "From what you've said, Alan is far from out of sight, out of mind. You know I couldn't do what I do and have Frannie working rotations at the hospital with kids if we didn't have a good support system. Between my parents and hers, we are well covered. The Tracys wouldn't have that. Besides, this way, Alan is getting his education and the chance to be a normal fifteen year old kid. I'm sure they are just doing what is best for him."_

"_You weren't there, Tommy," Sarah sniffed, tears running down her face. "You didn't hold that sweet baby as he cried for a mother who would never come to him again. You didn't watch as that boy became terrified of losing his family. You didn't bury anger at the fact that instead of getting help for remembering his mother dying in front of his eyes – the only real memory Alan has of her – that baby hid that fact in order to protect his family."_

"_All I am saying, Woody," Tommy argued as he made sure Virgil's identity was sufficient hidden as they pulled up to Mass General, "is give them a chance. You love them. Give yourself a chance, too."_

_With that, the doors were wrenched open and Sarah insisted on being the one to help get Virgil into a treatment room. Agreeing only to go as far as a connecting room, she made sure that the doctor treating him was Dr. Brackett, one of Harry's oldest friends and one of the few people Sarah was sure could keep the secret._

Sarah sighed before she called out. "Tommy!"

Her partner stuck his head in between the doors. "Yeah, Woody?"

"What name is on the patient's chart?"

Tommy looked wide-eyed at Jeff Tracy standing by Woody's bed. "Um, doc's gonna put him as a John Doe. Is that OK?"

"That will be fine," Jeff said calmly. "Is he awake yet?"

"Groggy, but he is getting there," Tommy assured the Tracy father. "Um, any medical allergies or conditions."

"No," Sarah said calmly before Jeff could. "He broke his arm when he was eight. He was mad because he missed a piano recital."

"But he made it to the art fair," Jeff reminder her. Turning to Tommy, he shook his head. "No, nothing on that one. How soon can I take him with us?"

"You have medical facilities to transport him to?" Dr. Brackett asked from the other room.

"Yes," Jeff called out. "He's our chief medic, but we have a doctor on call who can attend him."

"Give us another thirty minutes, then," Brackett said calmly as he entered the room. His eyebrows rose only slightly at Jeff Tracy standing there before he glanced at Woody.

"Is that why you are so pissed?" the physician asked wryly. Looking back at Jeff, he shook his head. "OK, Woody, get mad – I'll be back within ten minutes. At that time, I'll treat your burns, and after thirty _uninterrupted _minutes of O2, you need an x-ray. Don't think I didn't notice the bruising."

With that, Dr. Brackett left the room, pulling Tommy behind him.

Sarah shrugged when Jeff looked at her is dismay. "They'll never tell. Not only is it unethical, they won't say anything out of loyalty to me."

"Sarah Jane -"

The young woman cut him off. "Damn you," she hissed. "Damn you all! How could you?"

"Sarah Jane," Jeff argued. "You know what happened to my wife. You know how badly that hurt my family. As International Rescue, we make sure other families don't suffer the same fate."

"Suffer?" Sarah said incredulously. "_Suffer?_ Alan."

"What about Alan?" Jeff asked in confusion.

"You know now about the fact that Alan remembers his mother's death, don't you?" she asked in dismay. "I'm sure "Commander Scott" filled you in on that."

"I also watched the video," Jeff said. "Alan's poem was beautiful."

"He never told you before that, did he?"

Jeff shook his head. "No. John said Alan had told him a few months ago. Luckily, it was one of the things Alan can recall from that time."

"Alan," Sarah recalled, "didn't talk for some time after the accident. Do you recall the day of Mrs. Tracy's funeral? The way he kept slipping around like a little lost soul?" When Jeff nodded, she continued.

"At one point, he ended up in your study. He heard you telling – oh, what was his name? Jack," Sarah said, missing how pale Jeff had gone at the mention of his friend who had died just before Alan was hit by the car earlier that year.

"You were telling Jack that your only comfort was that Alan couldn't recall the accident," Sarah snapped. "How did you know? He wasn't talking yet!"

"The doctors said -" Jeff began before Sarah cut him off.

"Doctors? Same ones who said if I lived I would be a hopeless cripple? Or the same ones who said Gordon couldn't survive the hydrofoil accident? Doctors don't know everything," she argued before muttering.

"No matter how much some of them think they do."

Jeff sighed, knowing that Sarah's rare temper was clearly exploding at the moment. "Listen, I will send Virgil back when he recovers enough. You two need to talk."

"No," Sarah said calmly. "You tell Virgil Tracy that I can't live like this. I can't worry about him all the time while he decides to play hero."

Shaking his head in disappointment, Jeff frowned at the girl he had always loved like a daughter.

"Really, Sarah Jane – I never took you for a hypocrite." When Sarah looked at him in fury, Jeff continued.

"Virgil has your schedule memorized. He's given his cell number to both your partner and your captain. One time when you called using your partner's phone -"

"I'd forgotten to charge mine," Sarah protested only for Jeff to cut her off.

"When you called using your partner's phone, my son looked like he was about to faint with terror. He thought something had happened to you. And now you are claiming that because we are International Rescue, you can't love Virgil. I don't know what happened to the Sarah Jane Woodbury I had known since she was in diapers, but if you meet up with her, tell her I miss her."

Jeff turned to walk into Virgil's hospital room only for Sarah's voice to make him freeze.

"She lost her entire family. Her parents and sister died, and the other people she thought of as her family abandoned her. So ask yourself why it takes me less courage to run into a burning building than it does to risk my heart?"

Jeff looked at her sadly before nodding in understanding. "Just promise me one thing," he asked as Sarah looked up in confusion. "Alan. Please – no matter what you decide, no matter what happens, he needs his "big sister". Keep visiting him. He loves you."

Sarah nodded as Jeff put his helmet back on. She wasn't sure if she heard his next words.

"We all love you."

* * *

_**Yes, Sarah is being stubborn. But she is scared. Give her a break. Oh, and yes - I am a HUGE fan of Emergency from the 1970s. I used to watch it when I got home from school. (I was a latchkey kid.) Four PM, ch 38 (local UHF station - am I dating myself with that?). And if you think I am bad with Alan, you should have seen what they did to Johnny Gage. Hey, they hit him with a car, too! (But he lost his spleen. I was MUCH nicer to Alan.) - CC**_


	14. Chapter 14  Approaching Darkness

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - If I didn't love writing and posting stories so much, I would go postal! I hope I caught all of you, it was a bit hard to respond to reviews.**_

_**Oh, and I don't own Thunderbirds either...or do I? (Nope.)**_

* * *

**Chapter 14 – Approaching Darkness**

_**Two weeks later**_

Alan Tracy sat under his favorite tree on the quad, barely reading his astronomy book. Not like he didn't know it by heart – John joked that Emily now made it three people who had read all of his books, along with Jeff and Alan – but he really did need to be ready for his lessons the next day.

A slight wave of nausea hit Alan for a moment. He frowned, thinking of the stomach bug that had been driving him nuts. But there was no way he was going to give in to it. There was too much going on in his life to be sick.

Sighing deeply, Alan tried to return his attention to the book when the sound of a car's engine drew his attention. Grinning, Alan set down the book and was standing next to the car before Sarah could even kill the engine.

"Hey, Baby," Sarah smiled as she eased her way from the car. It was easier when top was down but autumn was getting to its chilly side in New England.

"Sarah," Alan breathed as the red-head enveloped him in a hug. "I wasn't sure you were coming back."

Kissing the top of Alan's head – something she wouldn't be able to do much longer – Sarah gave the teenager a one-armed hug.

"Allie, I love you and I'm not about to stop being part of your life again. This was the first day the doctor ok'd me to drive."

Alan frowned. "Dad said you weren't that badly hurt."

Sarah shrugged. "Yeah, well – being able to carry someone who weighs more than you and doing so can be two different things. The fact that I did it while your brother was dead weight and having to keep shifting to avoid debris, well – it turns out I kinda dislocated one shoulder and basically sprained my back. I go back on light duty next week but won't be back to full duty at the station for another month."

Stopping suddenly, Alan threw his arms around Sarah. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," he murmured. "Thanks for saving Virgil."

Ruffling his blonde hair, Sarah grinned. "Just doing my job."

"And so was my family," Alan said firmly.

"Baby -"

"No, Sarah," Alan interrupted. "You won't take Virgil's calls or e-mails. You are ignoring my whole family. Even when you wrote back that you would be coming, I was worried you wouldn't."

"Baby," Sarah answered, putting two fingers under Alan's lowered chin and forcing him to look her in the eyes. "I've never lied to you and I would never hurt you. No matter how angry I am at anyone else named Tracy, I love you."

"Virgil loves you, too," Alan argued.

Sarah sighed. "Give me a little more time, Baby. He hurt me – badly. But in the end – hell, I've loved Virgil Tracy for so long…"

"He was going to tell you the next time he saw you," Alan said. "He really was."

Sarah nodded before deciding to change the subject. "Brought you some more of that snack you liked," she cheerfully said as she pulled a bag of the trail mix from her oversized purse.

Alan grinned as he opened the bag. "Thanks. I still haven't opened the ones that came by mail."

Sarah looked confused for a moment before deciding that Alan must have discovered the company's web site and ordered some for himself. Well, it was a healthy snack made by a nut-free company – one of the reasons Sarah had selected it in the first place – so it wasn't a bad thing, right?

* * *

Virgil sat morosely at the baby grand piano, absently plunking at keys.

"Last time I checked," Scott's voice came from behind as he entered the room, "you actually could play a tune or two. Or should Dad spring for lessons?"

Virgil gave Scott a half-hearted glare before getting up from the piano and moving over to throw himself on the couch. "I can play," he grumbled. "I just don't feel like it."

"Huh," Scott said absently as he sat down next to his brother on the couch. "Maybe we should take you back for a check-up. You should be back in shape."

"You try getting back in shape from your girl dumping you," Virgil sighed.

"Sarah Jane didn't exactly dump you," Scott argued. At Virgil's look of disbelief, he shrugged. "She loves you. She's just really, really…"

"Pissed," Virgil said calmly, before glancing around to see if Jeff had heard him.

"You weren't listening at the table, were you?" Scott asked with a grin. "Dad is on his way to New York. He should be back by tomorrow."

"Is he heading up to see Alan?" Gordon asked as he entered the room, still damp from the pool.

"He offered," Scott said. "But the Sprout has some major projects coming due and Alan wants to get ahead so he can enjoy himself when he comes home for Thanksgiving. You know," Scott mused, "Sarah Jane told Alan she will be on light duty until the end of the month. Maybe we can "persuade" her to come visit with us for the holiday."

Standing, Virgil sighed. "Guys, she won't even take my calls. Just give it up. I'm gonna go work on Thunderbird Two's port engine."

Gordon rubbed his head with a towel as he glanced at Scott. "So – Sarah isn't talking to Virgil by the day before Thanksgiving, we grab her and lock the two of them in a supply room until they work things out?"

Standing, Scott shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

Jeff walked down the hall, giving instructions to both Ann Marie and the steady stream of executives who wanted "just one word."

"Any news from the police on Vernon Hinkley's murder?" he asked as the pair waited by the executive elevator.

"No clues, Jeff," AnnMarie sighed. "But I made sure his widow received all of his death benefits. And I think it was sweet of you to help with the funeral costs."

"Well," Jeff shrugged, "I understand that Mrs. Hinkley was a stay at home mother. They had no other source of income. One less expense will help stretch the benefits a lot further."

Nodding, Ann Marie agreed. "Mrs. Hinkley said she was selling the house and moving into a smaller house closer to her parents. It will help when she does go back to work. She was a teacher before their oldest was born and there is an opening for a teacher's aide at her children's school. So at least she doesn't have to worry about what to do with the kids on snow days."

Jeff smiled. "Thank goodness for small favors. I don't know what I would have done without my mother after Lucy died." Seeing Ann-Marie's slight frown, he hastily added, "Oh, and you too. Oh, and Jeannie or Millie Bates. And, of course, Sarah Jane."

Ann-Marie smiled. "You did have a pretty good support network back in Bailey. Speaking of which," she glanced around quickly to see if anyone was nearby. "Is Sarah Jane talking to any of you yet?"

Sighing, Jeff shook his head. "Only Alan. It takes an awful lot to get Sarah Jane mad but when she does -"

"- Bye, Sarah Jane; hello Mt. St. Helen's," Ann-Marie joked. "And the aftershocks will be felt for weeks."

"If she doesn't forgive Virgil soon," Jeff sighed again, "John and Emily are planning an intervention."

"And what about Scott and Gordon?" Ann-Marie asked with eyebrows raised. "You aren't about to tell me that the deputy dictator and the demon child can't cook something up?

"Possibly," Jeff agreed as the elevator doors finally opened. "But when two or more of any of my sons get up to something, I find it best to just get out of the way. I'll get more gray hairs but I'll live to enjoy them."

As the doors slid shut, the pair laughed, never noticing the eyes from around the corner.

"_Perfect," _Lainie thought. _"If Sarah Jane is on the outs with the family, now is the time to take care of Baby Tracy -"_

_And eliminate my sister in one fell swoop, _Holly hissed in Lainie's ear. The pair shared a twisted smile that would have frightened anyone who had seen it – especially if they had seen Lainie reach out and give a high five to someone who lived only in her twisted imagination_._

* * *

John rubbed his hand over his eyes before glaring at the screen in front of him.

"Damn it," he muttered. "That is not what I meant to write."

Pressing the backspace key, John erased the last paragraph before saving his work and backing out of the word processing program. There was no way he could focus on his new book. Not when he was worried about one of his brothers. The ding of an incoming call was a welcome relief.

Checking on which line it was, John relaxed when he saw who was calling.

"Hey, Emmy," John smiled, happy to see the face of the woman he loved.

"Hey, Starman," Emily smiled back. "I just left the island."

"How's Virgil," John asked, his smile fading slightly.

"Physically good," Emily shrugged. "Emotionally – he's hurting."

"Thank God you were reasonable when you found out," John sighed.

"Reasonable my ass," Emily scoffed. "I was so glad you and Alan were alive after that hostage situation in the bank, you could have confessed to being a cross-dressing serial killer who writes bad poetry and I would have forgiven you."

"Seriously, Em?" John exclaimed. "I would never write bad poetry."

Emily giggled, loving the whimsical side of John Tracy that so few people got to see. She quickly sobered as she spoke again.

"John, are we planning on doing the right thing? Confronting Sarah Jane, I mean?"

Grinning, John nodded. "Let me tell you a secret that I can't believe you haven't picked up on yet, oh ye of brilliant mind and hot body." Ignoring Emily's expression – something between a frown and a smirk – he continued.

"Sarah Jane Woodbury," John explained, "is – for all intents and purposes – a Tracy. She grew up side-by-side with us. So, as such, she must be treated as you would a Tracy off-spring."

"So if sweet logic doesn't work," Emily said as she rolled her eyes, "grab 'em by the collar and smack 'em upside the head until they listen?"

John grinned and nodded. "You betcha!"

* * *

Kyle Wescott stood in the doorway, making sure his target was alone.

"Hello, David," he said cheerfully as he walked into the small mail room.

David Turcotte looked up as the other student entered the small mailroom. Although there was a faculty member in charge of anything to do with communications at Wharton's, Mr. Halsey's job also consisted of phones and computers, so he spent little time with actual mail. And since most communication took the form of electronic media these days, it was only the few packages that arrived by U.S. Mail (most of the student deliveries came by one of the faster, deliver right to their dorm room services), letters (mainly from elderly relatives) and junk mail, so Wharton's had been having work study students do most of the mail duties, from sorting to actual deliveries.

When he had first been informed that his work study job for the year would be in the mail room, David considered himself lucky. Mostly, it was academic scholarship students who would get the inside jobs. For the last two years, David had worked for the grounds crew and was often as tired from that as he was from his athletic workouts for the wrestling team. This would have been a breeze.

Well, it would have if he hadn't forgotten about his Junior English paper. David had scrapped together what money he could and using a pre-paid credit card he maintained for emergencies, he had bought a paper from a web site. Fortunately, it was good and David didn't have to worry about losing his academic standing or endangering his place on the wrestling team.

Unfortunately, it had been written by one of his classmates at his last school. Kyle Wescott had cornered David after class, showing him the original paper on his I-Pad and threatening David with coming forward to expose David cheating. When David had begged Kyle not to, promising he would "do anything" if Kyle didn't blow his chances, the smile the other student had given David had left a cold, sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Flicking through the mail, Kyle had picked up a box and smiled. "Hey, David. I'll watch the mail for you. Why don't you go get yourself a drink?"

David swallowed hard. This was the third time in the last few weeks Kyle had unexpectedly shown up and made his "offer" to monitor the mail room. David had realized the first time the offer had been made; it wasn't out of the generosity of the other boy's spirit. Kyle was up to something. And seeing the cold, hateful look in Wescott's eyes, David decided that it wasn't worth his while to worry what his blackmailer's plan was. As long as it didn't kill anyone, David was fine with it.

Seeing his blackmail victim flee with his tail between his legs, Kyle smiled coldly. Picking up the package in front of him, Kyle sliced open the packing tape, removing the bag of trail mix. Carefully undoing the metal golden binding securing the sack shut, Kyle held open the mouth of the bag and took out a small envelope, tipping the contents into the sack before sealing it shut.

After he resealed the box, Kyle tossed out the envelope. He wouldn't need any more of it. That would make it a fatal dose.

"That's what you get for being in my way," Kyle hissed as he settled the box in the space marked, "TRACY, ALAN S WID#10101967".

* * *

"Alan?"

Alan Tracy looked up from the plate in front of him to see Tomo looking at him in concern.

"Yo, Tom. What's up?"

Tomo gestured towards Alan's plate. "Salad. A little bit of grilled chicken? And what's this?" he asked as he pointed at the plain bread next to Alan's plate.

"Last time I checked," Alan said dryly, "it was called bread."

"Are you trying to keep your girlish figure?" Tomo teased, trying to keep his worries from his younger friend.

Alan shrugged. "Just not hungry. Or I should say, when I do eat, it makes things worse."

Looking worried, Tomo stood. "I think you should see the nurse."

Sighing, Alan picked up a glass of water. "Saw her. Two weeks ago. She thought it was the stomach virus that was going around. But the medication just made things worse. Of course, what was even worse was my family."

Tomo looked confused. "Why could your family make your being sick worse?"

Rolling his eyes, Alan gave an indulgent smile. "You mean the smother-hens? I heard from every single family member, including my oldest brother Scott who wanted to come and fly me to a top gastro specialist."

"For the stomach flu?" Tomo asked.

"Yep."

"Over protective much?" Tomo teased.

Sighing once more, Alan tossed in another eye roll before deciding that the action really didn't help his nausea. "Tell me about it."

After a quick chuckle, Tomo became serious. "Really, Alan. You've been sick for two weeks -"

"Three," Alan interrupted. "I was sick for almost a week before I almost passed out in front of the coach. He was the reason I ended up at the wellness center."

"Seriously? Alan, it isn't normal to be sick for this long."

Alan nodded. "I told Emily. She's going to talk to John about coming in a few days early. If I still feel sick, she's taking me to a friend of hers who is a doctor is Springfield. Then they can run some tests. That way, we'll know what is wrong before I go home for Thanksgiving, to make sure my family won't freak too badly."

Tomo shrugged. "Maybe you're allergic to something. A friend of mine is allergic to wheat gluten. She gets sick to her stomach if she eats anything with wheat."

Chuckling, Alan nibbled on the bread again. It did seem to help a bit. "Well," he grinned, "that is better than my walnut or penicillin allergies. At least I would be breathing."

The senior pushed Alan's plate towards him. "Eat up, rabbit-boy. The more you eat, the better you'll feel."

Alan speared a piece of lettuce and managed to get it down. As his stomach rolled slightly, he nibbled again on the bread. Tomo usually gave good advice, but Alan wasn't all that sure how good it was now.

* * *

Lainie looked down at her cell phone, seeing the "text message" light go on. Flipping it open, she read the message.

_Pawn has been set in play. Final move. Check._

"Perfect," Lainie murmured, a small smile on her face.

"What's perfect?" Lisa asked as she approached the desk.

"Life," Lainie beamed. "Life in general. My family wanted me to come home for Thanksgiving but..." She let her voice trail off.

"Listen," Lisa said firmly as she set down some files on the desk. "You may be the new kid here, but you have been with the company a while. I'm sure that as you could get a few days off. We are closed as of four on Wednesday, so you could probably make it."

"To Kansas and back?" Lainie smiled. "No thanks. Too expensive and not enough quality time. But I have met someone and they have been hinting they may want to spend some time with me. In fact, he was saying it might be a good idea for me to meet his parents ahead of time."

"That's great!" Lisa said, excited for the other girl. "I'll be heading to California with my family the weekend before. Dad's a professor at Cal-Sci and since my step-mother's cousin is also a professor there – along with her husband and older son – we are all getting together that week. Listen, if you need to slip out at any time to "meet the folks" you just let me know."

Lisa sighed slightly. "I was kind of hoping to get my boyfriend to come with me. But his little brother comes home from school at the same time and there's no way he'll miss that. Although," she grinned, " he did say he was bringing the kid back to school and maybe he could give me a ride back to New York. Then my parents could meet him."

"Sounds like a real catch," Lainie probed, wondering – not for the first time – if Lisa was dating a Tracy. The other woman never seemed to be surprised at any of the "authorized gossip" about the family. It made sense…

It was Lisa's turn to beam. "He's wonderful. He's athletic, clever and has the most wicked sense of humor. Dad will love him." She frowned. "Well, Dad will tolerate him better than most of my boyfriends."

Thinking of the text message, Lainie smiled once more. "I may take you up on that offer. My guy works some crazy hours so it may be kinda short notice. Are you sure that's OK?"

"Don't worry, Lainie," Lisa assured her. "The women will all understand and we'll make sure the guys do as well. Besides, I know you will make it up later."

Lainie's smile became almost feral before she caught the flicker of surprise on Lisa's face. Smoothing her smile into a coy grin, Lainie nodded.

"Of course I will. I'll make sure everything is exactly as it should be."

_That's my girl, _Holly smiled from her place behind Lisa. _Make sure they get what they deserve._

* * *

_Scott Tracy ran down the road, nearly slipping in the mud. Virgil and Gordon were not far behind him, but all three had left their law enforcement "shadows" in the dust._

_Well, if there had been any dust. All there seemed to be was mud. Scott heard one of his brothers – he suspected it was Gordon – begin to slip but since he never heard an impact sound, Scott assumed the younger Tracy had either caught himself or been aided by the other brother._

_"I never realized," Gordon muttered to Virgil as his brother released the arm that had steadied him, "that Wharton's was so big."_

_"The better to secure, I suppose," Virgil mused._

_Scott had been prepared to say something when he saw John ahead of them. "John," he called out, "any sign yet?"_

_John shook his head and kept moving along, even as a deputy moved back towards the three brothers._

_Scott moved over to the left side of the road, slightly further into the wooded side than John. He was about to ask his brother were exactly they had searched when John suddenly made an exclamation._

_John's eyes had gone wide as among the faded browns of the dead leaves and branches that littered the roadside and the verdant green plant life that was in full – if soggy – bloom, he caught sight of a flash of electric blue._ _The same bright blue as the sneakers John had bought Alan for his birthday a few weeks earlier_.

_John reached the pile of debris, stumbling in the wet leaves and knocking some away from the patch of blue. As a track shoe was revealed, John cried out before frantically pulling at the fallen foliage and broken branches._

_Scott had raised his head when John had raced forward and instinctively began to follow. Virgil and Gordon had noticed both of their brothers' movements and trailed after the pair. The two younger Tracys reached their brothers just as Scott pushed aside the debris covering Alan's face._

_Scott Tracy froze. Even though he had been praying that they would find Alan, a bigger part of the prayer had been for them to find Alan __alive.__ Somewhere in the back of his mind, Scott was aware of his brothers pulling the leaves and branches away from Alan's body yet all he could do was lightly touch their baby brother's face. Scott flinched at how cold and still the flesh was, even as he dully took note of the bluish tinge to Alan's lips. Even while his mind willed Scott to let his fingers move down to the teenager's neck to check for a pulse, the oldest Tracy son's heart wouldn't let his hands shift away from Alan's face. It was his heart that didn't want to know if they had lost Alan forever._

_Working together, the middle Tracy brothers finished clearing the debris from Alan. Since the teenager was wearing gym shorts at the time of the accident, it was easy for Virgil – the best field medic on the team – to check Alan's femoral pulse. It was at that moment the middle Tracy son said the words that tore Scott's heart and soul to shreds:_

_"He's gone."_

Scott sat up straight from the deck chair where he had dropped off to sleep, a terrified gasp escaping his lips.

"Are you alright, Scott?"

The oldest Tracy son blinked away the nightmare – which he hadn't had in weeks – and gave Tin-Tin a weak smile.

"Yeah, Tin, I'm fine."

The Malaysian girl gave him a stern look reminiscent of her mother. "Sure. Right. What is it with you Tracy boys? You can show weaknesses, you know. Which bad dream was it? The one with John on Five? Gordon and the hydrofoil? Virgil and -"

"Alan."

Tin-Tin sat down at the edge of the deck chair and bit her lip. "Which time? We nearly lost him several times in the last six months. First the H-Hood," she stuttered, still in shock months later that she was related to such a monster. "The bank robbery? The accident?"

"That was no accident," Scott said coldly. "That little bastard drove drunk, hit Allie and then left him there like he was so much trash. And now he is on the run, hiding like the rat he is."

"Karma will catch up with him," Tin-Tin assured him. "If it hasn't already." Sighing, she smiled at Scott. "So it was the hit-and-run. But Alan was ok in the end."

Biting his lip, Scott shook his head. "Not in my dream. We find Alan again, but this time he is already gone."

Taking Scott's hand, she gave it a quick squeeze. "But he wasn't. He lived and he'll be home in a couple of weeks for Thanksgiving. Then you'll feel better."

Smiling at Tin-Tin, Scott nodded. He was sure the teenager was right. But he couldn't stop the cold feeling in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

Alan lay on the couch in the common room, idly flipping through a book while the TV droned in the background. The nausea and dizziness were only getting worse. He sighed. Alan knew he had to let Emily know so that she could arrange for him to see the specialist.

It didn't mean he had to like it.

Setting the book down as his vision blurred, Alan considered getting up and going to his room to rest. But he really wasn't up to it. And with most people enjoying the rare pleasant November day outside, it was peaceful enough here.

Fermat looked up from his trigonometry book, smiling slightly when he saw Alan had fallen asleep. He knew his roommate/ best friend hadn't been sleeping well. Turning down the vid, the younger boy shushed some of their schoolmates who entered the room.

Tomo walked into the common room, just as Fermat was making sure the room was quiet. Seeing Alan asleep on the couch, he yanked an afghan off the back of a chair, covering the sleeping fifteen-year-old with it. Sitting down, he pulled out a book and joined Fermat in watching over Alan. He tried to hide his worry. Something was really wrong with Alan. He was sure of it no matter how much the younger boy tried to deny it.

* * *

_**CC - So I have to end it here - getting waaayyy too long. Now that things are getting settled...**_

_**Alan - Getting settled? I'm being drugged! Or poisoned! Um - which am I?**_

_**CC (smiles smugly) - does it really matter?**_

_**Sarah - No, it doesn't. You are having those nut cases your twisted mind created to poison my baby!**_

_**CC - Hey, Red - I created you in my twisted mind as well. Be nice, because I also create your future off-spring as well.**_

_**Alan - She does have a point, Sarah Jane. Besides, she is good - she got people to like me.**_

_**Sarah - But do you know what this will do to the Tracys?**_

_**CC (scoff) Yeah! Looking forward to it. It's the reason people read my work. Torture the Tracys, emotionally and - especially in Alan's case - physically, without ever killing them. But in the end, a happy ending for the good guys and just deserts for the bad guys.**_

_**Alan (looks around) - Hey, were is everyone?**_

_**CC - Jean is comforting Scott and Sam1 is comforting your other brothers. Jeff is trying to find where Emily hid the coffee.**_

_**Sarah - Excuse me, but John is now with Emily and Virgil is -**_

_**CC - Being ignored by you. Don't worry, John only accepted some coffee and chocolate. Virgil is playing some very depressing music. Not sure what Gordon is up to and I don't think I want to know.**_

_**Alan - I'd hurry up and forgive Virgil, Sarah.**_

_**CC - Nah, it's good. Give me a bit longer. We'll have it work out.**_

_**Alan - With or without me in ICU.**_

_**CC - Oh, Allie - I'd never put you in ICU. (Alan begins to relax until CC speaks) The closest hospital to Wharton's in Bay State Medical Center and they have an Adolescent Intensive Care Unit or if you make it home, the Island has a private infirmary.**_

_**Alan - Not helping!**_

_**CC - Not meant to.**_

_**Sarah - Hey, we best wrap this up.**_

_**CC - Sure, I brought rice krispie treats drizzled with white chocolate and hot cider. Dig in - you'll need the energy.**_

_**Alan - Sarah are you worried?**_

_**Sarah - Yes and no. Yes - I mean, it is CC. No - Because she makes it right in the end. And heck no, because these are good. Um (looks at CC) - these aren't tainted, are they?**_

_**CC (scoffs) - Of course not. (looks thoughtful) At least, I don't think so...(Laughs) No, they aren't. But I scared you, didn't I?**_

_**Alan mumbles around his treat - Lady, you do that every time you start writing.**_

_**CC - Yep. Later!**_


	15. Chapter 15  Fight the Darkness

**Light and Shadows **

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Not mine. Nope. See, if they were mine, I would either a) have time to answer reviews or b) have a secretary to answer them for me. So, here was my choice. Post without answering - although I promise, I read and loved them all - or wait to post.**_

_**Hope I made the right choice. PS - Sam1 has gotten a peek at what is happening next chapter. She says your gonna wanna hurt me. Please be advised, this is an unfinished work of fan fiction and harming the author will result in an unfinished story. We don't want that, right?**_

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Fight the Darkness**

John picked up his carry-on and tossed it into the storage bin of Tracy Two. Grabbing Emily's bag, he prepared to do the same when a manicured hand grabbed it from him.

"John Glenn Tracy," Emily admonished. "I would prefer you do not act like an airport luggage handler of the lowest quality."

"Do you have anything breakable in there?" John asked with a grin.

"Well, no," Emily began before her fiancé snagged the bag from her hand and tossing it into the hold.

Emily looked ready to lose her temper when John then kissed her soundly, effectively cutting off any argument the young physician may have had. Her glare was considerably lessened as she boarded the plane. John turned to follow her when Scott's call grabbed his attention.

"That won't always work, you know," Scott laughed as he jogged up to his brother.

John just shrugged. "Maybe not. But I'll figure something else out later." Cocking his head, he smiled at Scott.

"Looking forward to getting the Sprout home sooner rather than later?"

Scott nodded. "I can't help but want to go with you. I just feel like – well, I feel like I should be there."

Nodding, John began to pick up on some of Scott's worries. They had never doubted what the brothers had long ago dubbed "Tracy Instincts", a kind of _knowing _when a brother needed help.

"Well," John shrugged again, "Dad wants you guys to stay here. We are testing that remote system and even though the Hackenbackers are more than willing to head up to Five, International Rescue needs to know if we can effectively run the business from the Island if need be."

"Just -" Scott sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Just promise me you'll call as soon as you see Alan, OK?"

"Will do, Sir!" John snapped, shooting his brother a jaunty salute.

"Smart ass," Scott muttered, even as he smacked John's shoulder.

Before John could respond, a voice called out from the plane. "John, get on board before I fly to Massachusetts without you!"

Scott pushed John towards the open door with a grin. "Get going, Blondie. I spent too much time tuning that plane up just for your squeeze to damage it again."

"I heard that, Scott Tracy," Emily called. "And I think I will have to find a series of shots to give you during your next physical. Or put you on a low carb diet."

"That would mean no desserts," John supplied with a grin.

His eyes wide with panic, Scott pushed harder to get John onto the plane. "Go, go! Have a good time. And bring back Sarah Jane if you can."

John nodded. "Don't worry, we'll get Sarah Jane back here. I have a secret weapon." He grinned back at his brother.

"I'm sic'ing Emily on her!"

Scott backed up as the door shut and the small plane began it's take off. He watched until they faded into the sky, before turning to leave, mumbling as he did.

"Bring the rest of the family home, Johnny. Bring 'em home."

* * *

Sarah Woodbury pushed her hair out of her face; tossing the broken barrette she had pulled her thin red locks back in the first place into the trash. She had pulled out another book and began to make notes when an elastic band fell onto her book. Looking up, Sarah abruptly stood when she saw who had entered.

"Sit, Woodbury," Chief Gage said with a smile. Walking over to the coffee pit, he grabbed a mug from a nearby counter and gestured to Sarah. When she shook her head and picked up her water bottle, the man shrugged and poured himself a mug.

Making himself comfortable at the table, Gage looked at the books spread out in front of her. "These manuals have needed reviewed for a while. But we can get a desk for you at headquarters, Woodbury. You don't need to do them at your station."

Sarah smiled softly. "I like the company, sir. And with all due respect, a lot of the updates can use the input of firefighters who work in the field, not desk jockeys who may not understand the impact of a poorly written rule."

Nodding, Gage smiled back. "I know what you mean. I was in the field myself once upon a time, if you can recall."

"Yes, sir," Sarah agreed, knowing that the chief had been a paramedic firefighter in this very station.

"How are you recovering?" Gage asked after a sip of coffee.

"I'd prefer to be back in the field," Sarah responded bluntly.

"And Dr. Brackett would prefer you not be," Gage said firmly. "You inhaled some toxic fumes and overstrained your back and shoulder. One month of light duty, minimum."

"I just can't help but feel useless, sir," Sarah complained.

The Chief chuckled. "Now I know what my Chief felt like dealing with me," he muttered before looking back up to see Sarah's confused face. "Never mind, Woody. Just be assured you are being useful with this," Gage said firmly, tapping the book in front of the young woman.

Sipping more of his coffee, Gage looked at her once more. "Any plans for Thanksgiving?"

Sarah shrugged. "Most of the shift has invited me. I might just come down here with whatever team is on duty."

"You have plenty of earned time," Gage commented. "You could go visit some friends. Maybe that boyfriend of yours."

"I don't think I'd be welcome," Sarah sighed, not wondering how the Chief knew about Virgil.

Gage stood, heading to the sink to rinse out his mug before answering Sarah.

"Pride is a good thing to have, Woody," the older man said firmly. "But it makes for a cold bed and a lot of lonely nights. I've never met someone so deserving of love and family. Don't let stubborn pride get in your way."

That said, he left, leaving Sarah with one more voice urging her to call Virgil.

Kyle watched as Alan sat in the library, making notes with one hand even as he flipped through an ancient book with the other. It had annoyed Kyle no end to realize that the Tracy son had been given privileges to the restricted section of the library.

Not that Kyle used books much anyways. Books were for idiots who couldn't use computers!

"Mr. Tracy," a cheerful voice softly said. The words were barely above a whisper, but in the quiet of the library, Kyle could still hear from a distance.

* * *

Alan looked up with a smile. "Mrs. Gosselin," the teen said politely as he began to rise before being waived back into his seat.

"Researching your English paper?" the teacher asked, gesturing to the tome in front of the boy.

"Yes, Ma'am," Alan said, smiling shyly. "I want to have all my projects done before John and Emily get here."

Mrs. Gosselin smiled again. "Well, I am sure you will. I know you have already handed in the projects for your other classes." Her smile faded as she looked at him more closely.

"You haven't been pushing yourself too hard, have you, Alan?"

Kyle knew that Mrs. Gosselin was one of the AP advisors and it was the advisor's job to make sure that their charges didn't burn themselves out.

Alan shook his head. "No, Ma'am. I just haven't been sleeping well. So it's better to get my work all done. I'm pretty sure Emily is going to insist on taking me to see a doctor friend of hers. Whatever this bug is, I haven't been able to shake it for weeks." He sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm just glad the school is shutting down a week early for Thanksgiving. Frankly, I can't think of anything better for what ails me than an extra week at home."

"Ah, yes," Mrs. Gosselin chuckled. "An extra week on a South Pacific island. Sheer torture for anyone."

Alan grinned. "Actually, more of a week of my family smothering me if I so much as wince. They're a bit overprotective since the accident."

Mrs. Gosselin nodded. She hadn't been a member of the faculty last year but she had heard from other teachers how badly Alan had been hurt – and how terrified his family had been first by his disappearance, then by his injuries. And it was clear from the visits from his family that the teenager was being coddled as much as he would let them.

Looking over Alan once more, Mrs. Gosselin tried not to show the worry on her face. Alan really did look off, with dark circles under his eyes and his skin even looked off color. And then there was how Alan moved. Usually, the teen moved with cat-like grace, ever gesture and motion filled with purpose. But now Alan seemed utterly exhausted, his movements' jerky and his breathing seemed a bit off to her. When he went to pick up the heavy book, Mrs. Gosselin held out a hand.

"Let me take that, Alan," she said. When he looked to argue, the teacher interjected. "I need it for some references in class. I'll put it back, I promise."

Alan chuckled. "I hope so. I bet Dad wouldn't be happy, considering that is one of only a handful of copies of that book. He'd probably dock my allowance until my kids could take over."

Mrs. Gosselin smile faded as Alan walked away, her concern for the teenager clear in her face. As she went to put the book back in the area behind the head librarian's desk, she glanced over at the other student in the room. The teacher couldn't recall his name, since he wasn't in any of her classes, but that was suddenly a relief as she saw the hate-filled look in his eyes. She tried to convince herself that she had been imagining it when he suddenly got up and left the library.

Putting the book back on the cart for that section, Suzanne Gosselin decided to find out the boy's name – and keep an eye on him. There was something just not right about that student.

* * *

John drove through the detour, mildly annoyed at the extra time it was taking to get from Logan Airport to Boston itself.

"I wouldn't have had to deal with this if we had landed in Springfield," John commented to Emily.

Emily smiled, shaking her head. "One – Sarah Jane is less likely to be hostile to me than she will be to you or any other Tracy male. Well, except Alan. Two – Alan is more likely to be honest with you about how he is feeling. So you can get the 411 from Alan, and I'll make sure we get him proper care. Finally, I don't know about you, but there is no way you would catch me in the Ted Williams Tunnel until it gets a complete overhaul."

Thinking of how close it was to Virgil or even Sarah Jane being seriously injured or killed in that tunnel not all that long ago made John worry his lower lip with his teeth. Before he could comment, Emily leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Don't worry so much, Starman," she grinned at her fiancé. "I'll use my powers of persuasion to get Sarah to join us, we'll find out what is wrong with Alan and we'll bring them both back to the island. Then everyone but Virgil will hover over Alan and make sure the kid is fine."

"Why not Virgil?" John asked in puzzlement. After all, Virgil was their chief medic.

"He'll be busy," Emily said in confidence. "First, with Sarah giving him Hell. And then – well," she grinned, "he is a Tracy boy. I'm sure he can distract her as well as you do me."

John grinned, his blue eyes sparkling with love and humor. Yep, she knew him too well

* * *

Alan Tracy smiled as he handed the memory stick to Mrs. Gosselin.

"Here you go, Mrs. G," Alan said cheerfully. "My report on Beowulf."

Suzanne Gosselin smiled at the fifteen year old. "And that was the last of the reports?"

"Are you asking as my English Lit teacher or my AP advisor?" Alan asked cheekily.

Mrs. Gosselin laughed. The boy really was priceless. "Both, I suppose," she admitted.

"Yes, Ma'am; Mission Complete, Ma'am," Alan said with a jaunty salute before suddenly paling and reaching for a desk to grab on to.

The teacher leaped up and held onto Alan before getting him into a seat. "Alan? Alan, are you alright?"

Suzanne could have kicked herself. Clearly, the teenager was far from alright.

"Just real tired," Alan said softly. Looking up into the worried face of his teacher, Alan blinked as her face seemed blurry for a moment. Damn, the halo effect that his vision had on occasion was bad enough. Closing his eyes for a moment, Alan willed away the nausea. When he reopened his eyes, Alan sighed in relief. Vision normal – check. Stomach no longer in throat – check.

Standing, Alan smiled at Mrs. Gosselin. "I'll be fine, Mrs. G."

Before Mrs. Gosselin could say anything, Tomo Wattamee leaned into the room. "Yo, Tracy! You coming to lunch?"

"Make sure he eats properly," Mrs. Gosselin said firmly. "And if he has another dizzy spell, take him straight to the nurse."

"You ok?" Tomo asked in concern. "Maybe we should head straight for the clinic now."

"Nah," Alan said dismissively. "I only have astronomy after lunch and then I am done with classes until December. And there is no way I am going to miss John's lecture. He's going to talk about finding the star he named for Mom," Alan said with a degree of animation that brought color back to his pale face.

"Sound cool," Tomo said, even as he snagged Alan's bag. When the younger boy looked to argue, Tomo shook his head. "I carry this to the cafeteria or I carry you to the clinic. Your choice."

"Great," Alan muttered even as they left the classroom. "I have a smother-hen here at school, too."

Mrs. Gosselin watched as two of her favorite students left, Tomo watching over Alan protectively. The small smile that had danced on her face at the sight faded as worry overrode any other emotions. She could only hope that it was a simple fix and that the teenager would be well by the time he came back to school. Suzanne knew that some of her colleagues over the years had always said she would be better off distancing herself from her students. But there was something about the youngest Tracy son that made her just want to protect him and keep him safe.

* * *

There was something about the youngest Tracy son that set Kyle's teeth to grinding. Watching the way Tomo Wattamee and the other students watched over Alan, making sure he ate and was doing OK, annoyed him no end. There were times that Kyle thought he could drop dead and the only time anyone would notice was when the smell began to annoy the students in the surrounding rooms.

_But_, Kyle smugly thought. _It won't be me dropping dead. _The Junior smirked as Alan gingerly rose from the table, pushing away his half-eaten food, shaking his head when his friends tried to encourage him to eat more. The smirk turned positively feral when he saw Alan's hand snake into his bag and pull out the tainted trail mix. Seeing Alan pop a few more bits of the toxic snack into his mouth, Kyle knew that he would soon be able to forget completely about Alan.

No sense in worrying about the dead, right?

* * *

John Tracy pulled into the parking lot next to the fire station and began to get out when Emily put a manicured hand on his arm.

"No, John," she said firmly, shaking her head. "I'll take this one. You head to Wharton's."

"What if she isn't here?" John asked.

"I checked her GPS on her phone," Emily shrugged. "She's here. And based on her medical reports, the doctors would prefer she take some time off. Sarah's barely taken any sick days and hasn't taken a vacation day since she started with the Department. I have no doubt her captain would sign off on her taking some down time so fast, her head will spin."

"And how are you going to get Sarah Jane to agree?" John asked before becoming slightly unnerved by Emily's smile.

"Easy," Emily said. "First, I am not above using the "Alan needs you" card. It works on any Tracy."

John nodded in agreement before Emily continued.

"Then I will offer her a locked room so she can kick the ass of the Tracy of her choice. So head to Wharton's before I find out if there is such a room at the station."

Emily almost laughed at how quickly John backed out of the parking spot and remerged with the Boston traffic, heading towards the Loop so that he could pick up the Mass Turnpike west and get to Wharton's. Part of Emily regretted not going with him immediately but – Well, she had to help all of her new family. Virgil first, then Alan…

With a sigh, Emily turned towards the station. She truly hoped a lack of testosterone would make Sarah Jane easier to deal with. But the girl really was already too much of a Tracy…

* * *

Tomo walked with Alan to what everyone at Wharton's knew was the teenager's favorite spot. As they sat on the bench under the trees, Alan leaned back and closed his eyes with a sigh.

"OK," Tomo said, pulling out a notebook. "I know a lack of appetite, exhaustion – which, according to Fermat, is from you not sleeping much." Tomo ignored Alan's muttered, _"I was trying not to wake him" _as he continued to jot down notes.

"You've been getting dizzy, nauseous, and – I suspect – some vision issues, right?"

"Three times," Alan confessed. "Two incidents with a halo effect and then my vision blurred when I was with Mrs. Gosselin earlier."

"Anything else significant?"

Alan sighed. "My soon-to-be-sister-in-law is coming you know? She is a doctor."

"And I want to be one," Tomo shrugged. "So consider me the triage. This way I can also make sure you will tell them everything."

Alan gave his friend a weak smile before imitating Tomo's shrug. "Well, I don't seem to go to the bathroom as much during the day as I should but more at night."

"Is that the reason you can't sleep?"

"Partly," Alan admitted. "I have some trouble breathing when I lay down."

"Dude," Tomo groaned. "You so should have called your family sooner. Someone would have flown out to get you to a doctor before this."

"I'll be fine," Alan insisted. "It's probably some kind of viral thingy. Emily will take me to her friend, they'll run a few tests, give me some meds and I will be fine before Onaha puts the Turkey on the table."

Tomo looked askance at his friend before shrugging once more. Alan, for the most part, had his family whirled around his little finger – even if he didn't seem to realize it. But the older boy suspected that when it came to Alan's well-being, his family would not let anyone – even Alan – get in the way of the boy being returned to full health.

* * *

Emily walked into the fire station, looking around. Two older men, one Hispanic and one Anglo, approached her with curious smiles on their faces.

"Can we help you miss?" one of the men – his name tag read "Delgado" asked. From Virgil's stories about Sarah Jane's life in Boston, this would be her captain.

"I was informed I could find Sarah Jane Woodbury here," Emily said firmly.

Captain Delgado frowned. Few people knew that Sarah was doing her light duty from the station. Shaking his head, he disagreed. "I'm sorry miss; Woody is on desk duty at the moment. And any requests from the media have to come through the department's media liaison officer."

Emily frowned. "Do I look like a leech?" she asked in dismay.

"Nope," the other man said with a laugh. He held out his hand. "O.C. Thompson. Most folks call me Tommy. Woody's my partner."

"And," Emily supplied with a grin. "Virgil has shown you family photos, hasn't he?"

Tommy nodded, before explaining to Delgado. "This is John Tracy's fiancée, Dr. Emily Haas. I bet she is here to knock some sense into Woody."

"Got it in one," Emily said cheerfully. "Thanksgiving is approaching and nothing would make the Tracys happier than to have the whole family around them. And I'm here to remind Sarah Jane that that includes her."

"Like it or not?" Delgado asked, a wry smile on his face.

Emily grinned before sobering. "If we have our way, you'll probably be needing a new paramedic. Tracy Island is just too far a commute."

"Woody's been thinking of joining a physician's assistant program," a new voice added.

The group turned to see Kelly watching Emily carefully before he spoke again.

"Does he really love her?"

Emily wasn't sure why, but she knew it was the right thing to say.

"Yes," she said softly. "I think Virgil has loved her since they were kids."

"I don't know what he did," Kelly said. "But he really hurt her."

"He knows," Emily assured him. "And he knows that she'll want to kick his ass before this is done. And that anyone of us will kick it harder if he ever hurts her again."

"You tell him -" Kelly stumbled for a moment before continuing. "You tell him even if I have to go all the way to the other side of the world, I'll do more than kick his ass if he ever makes her cry with anything but happiness, got it?" Looking at the captain, Kelly shrugged.

"I'm going to grab some milk at the store, Cap," Kelly said, gesturing to a small family run grocery store across the street.

Delgado nodded but said nothing until Kelly was gone.

"You know we don't need any milk," Tommy said.

"I know," was all Delgado said.

"He's in love with her," Emily softly said.

Delgado smiled gently. "We all love Woody. But yes, I think he is. He'll never say a word. Especially now. And if it makes you feel any better, when Kelly first met Sarah Jane Woodbury, she was swathed in bandages and couldn't even feed herself. Most of us have seen her recover and become an amazing person. Even though we were always playing matchmaker for her, none of us could ever find anyone good enough for her."

"But then Virgil came back into her life," Tommy said in a hushed tone. "And – I can't explain it. It was like a flower in bloom, turning its face to catch the warmth of the sun. And since they have been apart, it was as if someone had stolen the sunlight from her life." Breathing deeply, he looked at Emily.

"Bring back her sunshine, will you?"

Emily smiled. "We will," she said with determination before heading through the door the men pointed at.

* * *

Sarah Woodbury closed a book and began to look around for a different reference book when the door opened. Without looking up, she spoke.

"Yes, the coffee is fresh; no, I don't know what is for lunch; yes, I will move the books once someone starts cooking."

"I don't usually drink coffee and I thought we could get lunch on the road," a rather soft, decidedly female voice spoke up.

Sarah raised her head in shock. "Dr. Haas," she said in surprise.

"Please – Emily," the young doctor smiled. "Well, come on – clean up those books, we have an hour drive if we head straight to Wharton's. Personally, I would like to get something to eat first. John is hoping to get to Wharton's before lunch so he can join Alan. After all, with as sick as the kid has been -"

"Alan's sick?" Sarah gasped. "Why didn't someone let me know? Has he seen a doctor? What's wrong?"

Emily hid a smirk. Oh, yeah. She was a Tracy.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Emily said dismissively. "But for safety's sake, we are taking Alan to the hospital for a check-up."

"Mass General?" Sarah asked as she gathered up her books and piled them into a box she had set on a chair.

"Bay State Medical Center in Springfield," Emily said. "But first – lunch and some girl talk."

"Am I being conned or bullied?" Sarah sighed in frustration.

"A bit of both," Emily grinned. "But mainly, I figure if you are like every other Tracy you are too proud and stubborn to admit you could have changed your mind and that while Virgil owes you a huge apology, you may – mind you, I did say may before you lose that Tracy temper you seemed to have received through osmosis – also want to admit you overreacted out of fear and confusion."

"I was also pissed," Sarah muttered as she put the box on a high shelf where it would be out of the way.

"Of course you were," Emily patted her arm.

Watching Sarah and Emily Haas drive away in the old convertible, Tommy sighed. He probably really did need a new partner soon. The paramedic barely acknowledged when Captain Delgado joined him.

"I guess I better get the paperwork for Woody to burn up some of that vacation time she never uses," he sighed.

Tommy just grinned. "I guess I better start looking for a new partner."

"Or you could just take that Captain's position in 112," Delgado shrugged. "You'll be fine and you won't have to get used to a new partner."

Ducking his head, Tommy nodded slightly. He probably would. Watching as the car faded from view – it really was rare for Sarah to still have it out this late in the year, but the weather had been so great, she hadn't been able to resist – Tommy sighed again.

"We're gonna miss you, Woody," Tommy muttered softly, wondering if the Tracys had any idea how lucky they were to be getting an angel like Woody. Thinking of the family's secret – the Tracys being International Rescue still floored him – Tommy smiled. Maybe God really did reward those who did His work on Earth.

* * *

Lainie once more found herself driving up to Western Massachusetts. Based on what Wescott was telling her, Alan Tracy was going down hill – fast. Both she and Holly agreed: they wanted to be there.

"_C'mon, Lainie," _Holly hissed from the seat beside her. _"You snowed that idiot, Lisa and you have the company car again."_

"Yes," Lainie muttered. "But I have to use my own money to pay for gas. Well, at least my own credit card."

"_You should have gotten a credit card off of your nerd-boy. Or one of the salesmen."_

"Too risky to get the card from one of the salesmen," Lainie rationalized. "I'm already using them to get signatures for the cars. And Dr. Loser doesn't have a personal credit card. The only one he has is for the practice. And that bitch who runs his office keeps it locked up. There was no way for me to get it."

"_Unlike the special ingredient you've been giving Baby Tracy?" _Holly smirked.

Lainie grinned in return. Holly always did have the best ideas. The medication would never be missed, would it? She had heard Nerd-boy tell that nurse of his that they were samples. They didn't track things like that, right? And the idea that medication from a clinic sponsored by Jeff Tracy was being used to get rid of the "Tracy Mistake" was just too clever by far.

* * *

_**A/N - No, I don't think of Alan as a mistake. No child should be thought of like that. And as a child who was also a surprise, I know the difference. My brother - who could be (then and now) - an ass, once said I was a mistake. After crying, I asked my mother who smiled and told me, no, I was a surprise. They hadn't planned on a fourth child but they had been surprised by me. I asked what the difference was and she said "a mistake you regret and wouldn't do if you could live life over. A surprise was something wonderful that you didn't know you wanted until you got it."**_

_**My mom rocks.**_

_**More soon. - CC**_


	16. Chapter 16  Always Darkest

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Not mine. Is it yours? No? HAH! Well, I wanted to post early since ff is being evil.**_

* * *

**Chapter 16 – Always Darkest**

John Tracy pulled into one of the many rest stops that lined the Mass Turnpike. Just after leaving Boston, he had gotten caught behind a roll-over. Once he was satisfied that the locals had it covered, John had sat in his rental car, content to make notes for his next book.

In the end, it had taken over two and a half hours to clear the accident, so that by the time John was able to get on the road again, he knew there was no way he would be able to meet Alan for lunch. The best he could hope for was to make it to the class in time to give his lecture.

Running into the plaza, John found the Subway shop and smiled when the middle-aged woman behind the counter cheerfully greeted him. "Um," he smiled back, looking over the menu board above the woman's head. "Oh, the Orchard Chicken Sandwich looks good. And a bottle of water, please."

The woman smiled once more, quickly filling John's order. She usually had sour-faced truckers, cranky tourists or annoyed commuters. It was a nice change to find someone with manners who honestly seemed to appreciate her efforts.

"Gad – are you serious?"

The woman sighed as the fifty-something year old man glared at the menu board. "You really charge that much for just a sandwich? I can get one readymade at the 7-11 for half the price."

Resisting the urge to tell the man to go risk ptomaine poisoning at the convenience store as she watched the handsome young man walk out of the plaza with a smile – one that she could remember and use to deal with others.

"Yes, sir, I'm sure you can. But we -"

John had thought about turning around, to see if the woman needed help, but he had seen the same spark of strength and energy that Lady P exhibited. Nah, she'd be fine.

"Well, well, well – John Tracy himself. What a small world."

Freezing for the moment, John turned slowly. "Um, hello?" he asked in confusion. The young woman seemed familiar –

"Surely you remember me?" the blonde asked coyly. "Elaina Roy? I was in Virgil's class back in Bailey."

"Oh, yes – Elaina, of course," John stumbled, feeling a need to back away from the woman.

"Lainie."

"Excuse me?" John asked in confusion.

Lainie smiled. "Lainie. My friends called me Lainie. I mean – I was Virgil's date for the prom. Practically family."

John frowned. It was clear to him that they had very different ideas of family.

"So," Lainie cooed. "I hear you're getting married. How simply marvelous. But you are all alone, aren't you?" she asked as she moved closer, practically pinning John against the car.

"My fiancée is with a friend at the moment," John stumbled as he lowered the window with the remote, tossing the bag and bottle into the passenger's seat.

"Anyone I would know?" Lainie asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"As a matter of fact, yes," John admitted. "Emily – that's my fiancée – is having lunch with Sarah Jane Woodbury. Sarah is dating Virgil now, you know."

"I heard that he had dumped her," Lainie sniped.

John tensed up, his protective-big-brother gears kicking in for both Virgil and Sarah Jane.

"I'm not sure where you heard that," John snapped. "But it couldn't be further from the truth. They did have an argument, but that happens even with couples as deeply in love as they are. Further, Sarah Jane is joining the family for Thanksgiving."

Lainie's mouth became a tight line before she smiled. "Well, I am just so happy for them both. Holly is too, you know."

John frowned. Surely she had meant Holly _would_ have been happy for them. Not that she would have been, John thought absently. Holly had been cruel and spiteful to her sister, one reason why the brothers had been so protective of Sarah Jane.

"Um, I'm sure she would have been," John stumbled. "But I have to get going."

"Oh," Lainie sighed. "But I was hoping you'd have lunch with me. I'm soooo hungry," she cooed as she slid a hand over John's shirt.

John had had enough. "Really?" the astronomer snapped. "Well get yourself a burger, because I'm not on the menu." He grabbed her hand and pushed it away, jumping in the car and leaving the amorous blonde in his wake.

Lainie watched coldly as John sped away. "You'll regret that John Tracy. I was considering letting someone find out what was wrong with Baby Boy. But now? You think your family hurt when your mother died? Wait until you see how devastated you will all be when wittle bitty Allie dies."

* * *

Sarah and Emily found a small table on the patio of the restaurant. Located on the edge of Boston, just before the last city exit to the Mass Turnpike, "Angie's" usually had no room on the patio during lunch. But due to the lateness of the season, there were no other diners, allowing the privacy the women needed.

"Are you sure you wouldn't prefer a table inside?" the waitress asked.

"No, it's fine," Sarah assured her, although she smirked slightly as Emily button up her sweater slightly. It was close to 70 degrees, a light breeze and no clouds but to someone not use to New England weather, it might have been a tad chilly. Well, if

Emily wanted to give her the third degree, she would have to suffer right along with Sarah.

Feeling sorry for the waitress, Sarah smiled at her and spoke.

"You know, I can't think of anything better than the chicken club. I was here last month and it smelled wonderful. Oh, and add a cup of French Onion Soup to make the soup and sandwich special."

"That sounds good," Emily agreed. "But do you have Manhattan Clam Chowder?"

"What's that?" the waitress asked, looking at Emily suspiciously.

"An abomination," Sarah muttered.

Emily frowned at both women before sighing. "Alright, make that two chicken clubs with French Onion Soup. Oh, and some hot tea, please? With lemon."

"The same," Sarah added. "But with cream."

The waitress smiled and nodded before returning inside. As soon as the door closed behind her, Emily spoke.

"OK, bottom line – do you love Virgil?"

"What sort of dumb ass question is that?" Sarah asked. "Or are you one of those idiots who think "love means never having to say you're sorry"?"

"Love not only means saying sorry," Emily snapped back. "It sometimes means groveling. Especially when you are being a stubborn ass."

"I am not being a stubborn ass," Sarah rounded off. Seeing Emily's all-too-knowing look, she sighed. "Well, I am not being an ass."

"I'll give you that much," Emily agreed. "Listen, when I found out it was rather abruptly as well. And trust me – I was mad -"

"How did you find out?" Sarah broke in with that question.

"I walked into Dad's office still in Command and Control Mode," Emily admitted.

"Mr. Tracy's office in Manhattan?"

"Of course not," Emily scoffed. "His home office."

"Wait," Sarah snapped. "So everything is not only done _near _home but _at _home? Don't they get what kind of risk that could allow? What if some nut job managed to trace them back to base? Alan could be at risk!"

Now it was Emily's turn to be annoyed. "What do you think happened at Spring Break? The whole mess with that freakin' nut job, The Hood? Alan was home. Dad and the boys had gone up to Five – the space station," she added when she saw Sarah was becoming confused.

"Why had they all gone to the, um, Five?" Sarah asked only to be surprised when Emily went pale.

Before Emily could speak, the waitress returned with tea. Seeing the uneasy silence, she assured them their lunches would be out shortly and quickly left.

"John was up there," Emily said shakily. "That rat bastard had sent a missile right into the station. Think of that like someone bombing your fire house."

"Whoa," Sarah breathed out. "The news said the entire team nearly died because of the Hood but I don't recall much else."

"Alan saved them," Emily said softly as she prepared her tea. "And the Hood tried to kill a fourteen year old boy who was only trying to save his family."

"He tried to kill Alan?" Sarah gasped, horrified to realize her worst fears had already happened.

"Three times, John said. It gives the whole family nightmares," Emily admitted, recalling times John had awoken, shaking from bad dreams – both ones that had happened and ones that could have.

Sighing, she took a sip of tea before continuing.

"So what you think could have happened already has," Emily said bluntly. "And they have only come out stronger for it. Now what it comes down to is this – do you love Virgil? I know you have seen how hard it is for the spouses of first responders. But, unlike me, at least you can work right beside him."

"What?"

"Oh come on," Emily confided. "Do you honestly think Dad won't be thrilled to get a ready trained Thunderbird for a daughter-in-law?"

"Did he say that?"

"Yes."

"And Virgil is ok with it?"

"Yes."

Sarah stroked her chin before taking a sip of her own tea.

"Well," she mused, "it would be interesting. And," Sarah grimaced, "at least I wouldn't have to do health inspections anymore."

"Health inspections?" Emily asked, making Sarah laughed.

"How do you think I knew about this place?" she giggled. "Don't worry – they passed with flying colors. But I can give you a few places that you want to give a wide berth to."

Just then the waitress came out, balancing a tray. She quickly served the soup and sandwiches before leaving the prospective Tracy wives alone again.

The pair ate for a few minutes before Emily finally asked, "So – are you coming peacefully or do I have Alan break out the puppy dog eyes?"

"On one condition," Sarah agreed after swallowing the food she had in her mouth. Her green eyes got hard. "I get to give Virgil ten kinds of uninterrupted hell before I let him make it up to me."

"If he's anything like his brother," Emily smirked, "he will."

"Oh – My – God," Sarah groaned. "They are both like their father?"

"What?" Emily stuttered before picking her spoon back up. "No, never mind. I never, ever, ever, want to have to think of Dad in that manner."

"Wish I was that lucky," Sarah grumbled before taking another bite of her sandwich. Emily eyed the red-head from across the table and then decided: she really didn't want to know.

* * *

Kyle watched from across the quad as more people joined Alan Tracy. "The court clamors about the young prince," he sneered. It sickened him to see how concerned and attentive Alan's friends were to him. The spoiled rich kid didn't deserve friends like that.

As students, classmates or fellow dorm residents, walked past Kyle without so much as a hello, while many waived to the group on or around the bench with Alan, the Junior never stopped to think that his own stand-offish behavior could have caused his alienation. No, it had to be Tracy's fault.

Kyle recalled clearly doing a tour of Wharton's last spring, at the encouragement of a kid he knew from Chicago. Barry had been a friend of Kyle's, even though they ran in different social circles. They both knew they were far more deserving than others who seemed to get what others deserved more. Remembering that it was Alan Tracy and his family who had caused so much trouble for Barry that the older boy was now on the run from a justice system that was all too willing to cow-tow to the Tracys, Kyle felt his blood boil anew.

Just then, a car drove up the tree-lined road and parked. A tall and lean blonde man climbed out and waved towards Alan Tracy. Seeing the way the sophomore stood up, a joyous smile on his face, assured Kyle that this was one of Alan's brothers. Only his family seemed to bring that much happiness to the younger boy.

"Allie!" John said joyfully, as he moved into a run, rushing over to Alan and pulling his youngest brother in close. John tried not to shudder as he realized he could feel Alan's ribs through his school uniform. Alan was slender until the best of circumstances, much like John himself. But this was as if Alan had been off his feed for a month.

Leaning back, John smiled gently at his younger brother. "Hey, Sprout. Looks like Onaha is gonna have some major work getting your weight back up. Does the food at Wharton's stink that much?"

Alan shrugged. "It's not that bad, Johnny. It's just – Well, I just haven't had much of an appetite."

Moving around but still keeping Alan in a one-armed embrace, John picked up Alan's school bag from the ground and slung it over his free arm. "C'mon, Sprout. Let's do this thing and Emily should be here before we are done. Then we'll get you thoroughly checked out and head home."

"Sounds good, Johnny. But don't call me Sprout."

Alan's friends were chuckling behind the brothers, having heard the argument with any given brother and Alan many times before. Tomo and Derryk Reynolds, a Junior, both had the same class and the others wandered away, feeling better knowing that a member of Alan's family was now here and would make sure he was taken care of.

* * *

Scott sat at a computer terminal, his hands still on the keyboard.

"Scott?" Jeff asked from the doorway. "Do you have that report ready?"

Blinking, it took Scott a minute to realize his father was even there.

"Um, yeah, Dad," Scott reached over and grabbed a report from his printer. "Here you go."

Jeff looked over the papers with a nod. "Thanks, Scott," he said absently and turned to leave, only to stop when Scott spoke again.

"Dad, has John called yet?"

Turning back, Jeff leaned against the doorframe. "No, Scott. He sent a text a few minutes ago. He's at Wharton's and he'll be heading almost straight for the class. Emily should be there by the time the lecture is over and they'll all head over to Bay State Medical Center."

"But they should be back tonight?"

Jeff shrugged. "Emily warned us that if they need to run tests, they may keep Alan overnight. So it might not be until sometime tomorrow." Smiling, he bopped his oldest son on the head with the report."

"Hey, just be glad the school is closing extra for Thanksgiving as well as Christmas. Any of the students who submit reports early can leave early and Alan was determined to get the extra time at home. He has no problems with being one of the students to leave early so that the school can shut down some of the dorms to work on the HVAC issues."

Scott gave a small smile. "How did he do?"

"Well," Jeff mused, "no report card yet, of course. But he did get confirmation he can remain in the AP program. And that is usually a pretty good sign."

"I just -" Scott sighed. "Dad, am I being overprotective to just wish that Alan had been home yesterday?"

Jeff chuckled. "Yes. But I know what you mean. I wish Alan was home as well. And I would never be so foolish as to disregard your instincts when it comes to the well-being of your younger brothers – especially Alan. Hopefully, they'll be back here soon and our biggest worry will be Alan being on the same island with his teenage girlfriend and their teenage hormones."

Scott gave his father a weak smile and tried to return to the computer. His smile grew when he saw an e-mail pop up from Jeannie Bates.

_Heya Scooter! What's new in paradise? Saw the picture of Johnny's fiancée in the papers. He really snagged a looker, huh? And she's a doctor, too. Smart and pretty, Mama said she looks like a fancy doll you'd find in a collectors case. But with a lot more warmth. Everyone agreed that John sure snagged a real winner. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it? (The dead silent ones are usually serial killers and should be avoided at all costs, LOL!) Mama wanted me to remind you that you can bring a date to the wedding and I am recommending it. Otherwise, she will come up for air long enough to play matchmaker. _

_Billy told me I have to invite Keifer to the wedding and Mama is agreeing. She says that since he is both Billy's cousin and my co-worker (yeah, Amos hired the little shit. Well, at least he makes a decent pot of coffee), I have to invite him. Another reason for you to be there. Blood would be hard to get out of Grandma Bailey's wedding dress._

_Hey, remeber the poem we snuck into the yearbook as his quote?_

_Violets are blue __And so is the sky.__  
__When god gave out brains,__  
__**Where the hell was I!**_

_Heard through the grapevine that Virg is dating Sarah Jane Woodbury after he ran into her again. Sure is a small world, isn't it? Then again, I ran into Billy at the crossroads of nowhere and Hell and well, ya know how that turned out. When you come, you best bring pictures and have time to tell Mama everything. _

_She promised to send you home with some apple pie, so save some room on that jet of yours._

_Can't wait to see you again. _

_Jeannie_

_PS – Mama told Billy it was funny that I was having you stand up for me, considering you were the first boy I ever kissed. I reminded her that it was on the cheek and it was after those idjits tried to snag Allie. I'll try and get Billy to forget it but PLEASE bring a date. _

Scott chuckled. Jeannie Bates would never change. Thank God. Thinking of the women he knew, Scott sighed and buried his head in his arms. The only women he would feel comfortable taking to the wedding of someone who was practically family all either were also practically family or planning on marrying into family.

"I need a life," he muttered as he turned off the computer. Besides, Scott knew he would be hard pressed to focus on anything until Alan was home.

* * *

John smiled as he looked out over the classroom. The class had been fascinated as he told them the story of how he had found the star that he had named for the late Lucy Tracy. Half way into the class, John had stopped lecturing and opened the floor to questions.

The room had been silent for a moment before Alan's friend Tomo had looked around and chuckled. Raising his hand, the young Asian boy had smiled when John called on him.

"Is it true you used to steal Alan from his crib to show him the stars?"

John chuckled, joined by more of a few of Alan's classmates. Alan's response was to toss a paper ball at Tomo.

"Yes, that is true. I loved the stars and wanted my little brother to love them as well. I think when you love something, you want others to share your enthusiasm."

The off-beat question seemed to open the door and soon John was fielding questions on everything from life on a space station to being a published author. In the back of the class, John spotted the teacher tapping his watch, indicating class was almost up.

"OK, one more question,' John said with a smile, pleased to hear more than one student groan in disappointment.

Half the class began to raise their hands only to still when a crash drew their focus to the front of the classroom. Alan's book had fallen from the desktop. The youngest Tracy waived away Tomo when the other boy would have grabbed the book for him and leaned forward.

In the blink of an eye, Alan fell to the floor without a sound. For a moment, the room remained silent, a silence broke by John's gasped, "Allie!"

Pulling Alan into his arms, John patted his brother's face before pressing his fingers against Alan's throat, searching for a pulse. It was there. Weak and irregular, but there. Holding Alan tightly in his arms, John looked up at the concerned faces around him.

"Call an ambulance," he whispered. When no one moved, the normally calm John snapped. "Someone call an ambulance now, dammit!"

Somewhere in the background, John could hear someone on the phone, speaking to 911. He knew that the school nurse had come in and that the headmaster was also present. But John's entire consciousness had faded into the helpless form held tightly in his arms. All John could think of was his father's description of when Alan had suffered an allergic reaction on the island.

"_All I could do is hold Alan and beg him to keep breathing, John. It was one of the most frightening moments of my life."_

John didn't even realize he was mumbling the same thing over and over.

"Keep breathing, Allie. Keep breathing."

* * *

_**CC - Ah, wasn't this nice of me? An early chapter. **_

_**Alan - Nice? You wanna be called nice? I'm dying in my brother's arms!**_

_**CC - See? I made sure you had family! That's nice, right?**_

_**Alan - I just don't get you.**_

_**CC - Hey, be glad I am in a good mood. **_

_**Alan - This is you in a good mood?**_

_**CC - Sigh. I know. Scary, huh?**_

_**Alan - Well, you have a long holiday weekend coming up, right? Plenty of time to get me safe again?**_

_**CC - My second job is in retail. So...nope. Well, off on Saturday and we are heading to see tall ships in Portsmouth. But I'll be too busy. Not planning on writing much.**_

_**Alan - You are evil, you know.**_

_**CC - Yup.**_

_**Alan - Warped and demented.**_

_**CC - Yup.**_

_**Alan - A - a - oh, Dad would kick my tush for using that word.**_

_**CC - Nothing I haven't heard before. Oh, well - want some chocolate cake? Just made it?**_

_**Alan - Oh, ok. Can I go with you to see the tall ships?**_

_**CC - Only if I can save you by Saturday.**_

_**Alan - How likely is that?**_

_**CC - Um, I'll leave some cake for you to have while we are gone. (Smiles and waves) Later!**_


	17. Chapter 17  Nope Still Dark

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Don't own. **_

_**Ah, more Tracy agnst. Helps me. I was going to update sooner, but I was sick. Like hospital sick. Getting better. Wanna make me feel even better? REVIEW. Or I could suffer a releapse. And who KNOWS how long that would delay things?**_

* * *

**Chapter 17 – Nope, Still Dark**

If you later asked John Tracy how they had arrived at Bay State Medical Center, he wouldn't have been able to tell you. All of his thoughts, every ounce of energy in his body, was focused on the unconscious form of his youngest brother.

"_Mom?" John Tracy called out, running into the house. Lucy stuck her head out of the kitchen and smiled at her second born son. _

"_Johnny! You're back early. Where are your brothers?"_

_John shrugged. "Still at the park watching Scotty and Jeannie play ball. They're really good. Oh, and Mom?" John asked, waiting until he had his mother's attention. "I kinda asked Sarah Jane to come to lunch. That's OK, isn't it? I mean, Jeannie was already coming and Holly was being real mean to Sarah Jane so I thought -"_

_Lucy cut her anxious son off with a smile. "That's fine, Johnny. Sarah Jane is a sweet girl. Did you ask her parents?"_

_Shaking his head, John looked abashed. Lucy sighed but picked up the phone in the living room. "Annette? Hi, Lucy Tracy. Oh, we're fine. Listen, Sarah Jane is at the park with the boys and Jeannie Bates and – No, no she's not in any trouble." Lucy paused. "Annette, Sarah Jane is a sweet girl. No, I – Yes, well, John invited Sarah Jane for lunch and – No, and it's no trouble at all. Jeannie is already coming so Sarah Jane will just be tossed in with the rest of my herd."_

_Lucy's eyes went hard for a moment and her mouth tightened. "Yes, I understand. Yes, I can see how Holly needs the time to get ready for a beauty pageant. Please – feel free to send Sarah Jane over any time. No, it's no bother. Yes, I know Alan is only two months old. But really – we don't mind. The boys spoil their little brother so much that it would be welcome to have Sarah Jane. Frankly, I'm glad to have another girl." Lucy chuckled. "Yes, I know Sarah Jane is only five. But with my crew? I'm swimming in a sea of testosterone and welcome any change."_

_Alan began to fuss in his bassinet, set up near the rocking recliner in the living room. Before Lucy could move, John was already there, picking up his baby brother and cuddling the infant close. The nine year old pulled the bottle from the warmer placed on a nearby table and rubbed the nipple against Alan's lips. Quickly, the infant latched on. Smiling, John sat in the chair and began to gently rock as his baby brother fed._

_Lucy realized that Annette Woodbury was still talking and returned her focus to the conversation. "As I said, Annette – it's no problem. I was already feeding five children…No, not Alan. Like I said, Jeannie Bates is coming. Millie is having some work done at the diner, so it will be closed today. Goodness knows, she has fed Scotty enough, I can feed Jeannie for once. Yes, I will have the boys walk her home afterwards. Thank you, Annette. Bye."_

_Hanging up the phone, Lucy walked over to her two blonde sons and knelt beside them. "Got him, ok, Johnny?"_

_John looked up with a smile. "Yes, Mom. Usually, I don't get to feed Allie. If you or Dad isn't, Scotty is. But he likes me, doesn't he?"_

_Lucy smiled as she ran a finger over Alan's face before mimicking the action on John's. "No, my little dreamer. He doesn't like you. He loves you. You are his big brother and he knows that you will take good care of him."_

_John smiled at his mother's words, as he looked into the wide blue eyes of his youngest brother, eyes that match his own. "I will Mom. I promise. I'll always take good care of Alan."_

"We're here!"

John looked up to see the paramedic jump up as the ambulance attendant opened the doors. Between the two, they carried Alan out of the ambulance and into the crowded emergency room.

A middle age man came out of a room, nodding at the paramedic. "Is this our collapsed teen, Ozzie?"

Nodding, the paramedic gave a data pad to the doctor. "Yeah, Doc. Fifteen year old white male, collapsed at school. Pulse is varying between slow and fast but is very uneven. No sign of regain consciousness, according to a classmate, he has been sick for several weeks, sleeping poorly and not eating much."

"Any sign of drug use?"

John moved closer. "Hey! Alan doesn't use drugs. We have trouble getting him to take Tylenol."

The doctor looked at John. "And you are?"

"His brother and acting as in loco parentis until our father gets here." Looking around, John asked, "Is Shana Pierce around?"

"You know Dr. Pierce?"

John nodded. "She treated Alan last year after he was hit by a car. I'd prefer someone familiar with his history shows up until – aw, hell!" At the doctor's confused look, John grabbed his cell phone. "Alan's doctor is also my fiancée and was supposed to meet us at Wharton's. I have to call her…"

The doctor nodded. "You can call over there, the rest of the unit is a cell-free zone." Turning to the nurse, he nodded. "Call Dr. Pierce."

Moving into the area he had been pointed to, John hit the speed-dial and waited for an answer. "Emmy?" John said in a low, broken voice. "We're at the hospital. Something's really wrong. Please – I need you here." A single tear ran down John's cheek as he clutched the phone like it was his lifeline. "Alan's really sick. No – No, we just got here. Yes, I will. No, I haven't called Dad yet." John gave a weak laugh. "No, I better. You can't handle it if Scott answers. It's not courage Em – its trained endurance. Just – please, Emmy, just get here soon."

Looking over at where the doctor was examining his baby brother, John felt a slight rise in his spirits when the slender figure of Dr. Shana Pierce ran in through the door. The emergency medical specialist was the same doctor who had saved Alan's life earlier in the year and he knew she wouldn't rest until Alan was on his way back to health. But as Alan's head was moved slightly, the overhead light caught the bright yellow hair, reminding John painfully of their late mother. While both Alan and John had her coloring, it was Alan who was a male version of Lucy Tracy. The memory that had pushed forward in the ambulance came back in a wave, causing another tear to run down John's face.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he whispered. "I didn't take care of Alan like I promised. I'm so sorry."

* * *

Shana Pierce sat at her desk, trying to get back to the figures in front of her. She really did hate paperwork and sometimes regretted taking the Department Head position, but if she hadn't, she would have had to answer to someone else.

She really wasn't good at answering to anyone else.

But even as she looked over the latest quarterly budget for the Emergency Services, Shana sighed. Her mother in law really was driving her crazy.

"No, Mother Matthews, I already told you, we are going to be up at the house in Maine that week. Mother Matthews, we go there every summer, the same week. Because it's my family's home and it was a tradition. They hold Old Homes Day that week and my family was always deeply involved in it. No, Mother Matthews, it is nothing personal. Mother Matthews, it's not like your birthday is actually that week. It's not even that month. Why are you celebrating it then? Well, I would happily pay the difference to secure the facilities for a different week. No, Mother Matthews – I am not trying to show off my family's money. But I do have it and your son and grandsons are my family. If it saves Nate from feeling he has to be torn between making me happy or you happy, I will pay any amount."

Shana sighed deeply. "Mother Matthews, please don't talk like that. I don't hate you. You are Nate's mother and my sons' grandmother. No, I don't plan on demanding that Nate choose me over you. Even if he would," she mumbled flipping the page of her report. After all, he had before when his mother had pushed things.

Looking up, Shana saw the door to her office open. A nurse mouthed "you have a patient", making Shana frown. The trauma team hadn't been activated. What was this about – The nurse placed a data pad in front of Shana, making her eyes go wide.

"Alan?" the young doctor gasped, barely aware of her mother-in-law still speaking in the background. "Mother Matthews, I have to go. No – I have a patient, Mo - No, I don't hate you. No, I don't…FINE! I hate you, OK?"

Shana yanked the ear piece off and shoved her cell into the pocket of her lab coat. Grabbing her stethoscope, she took off at a run down the hallway…

* * *

John moved back over to where the doctors were treating Alan, sighing in relief that Shana Pierce was finally there.

The young brunette doctor glanced up, giving John a small smile.

"John," she nodded, even as she continued to examine Alan. "I didn't think I would see you until the wedding."

John frowned. "Didn't Emily tell you we were going to be bringing Alan here for some tests? Some guy in gastro…Merry? Berry?"

Shana lifted Alan's hand, examining the skin and gave orders for a full blood work panel. "Kerry? Justin Kerry?"

Nodding, John ran a hand through his platinum locks. "Yes. Alan has been sick for almost a month. A lot of his symptoms, nausea, lack of appetite, some loose stools, etc, were all gastro. In fact, the nurse at Wharton's thought Alan just had a stomach virus."

Shaking her head, Shana listened to Alan's heart again before ordering a full cardiac monitoring system. "No, this is no virus. At least – I'm fairly sure it isn't."

"Then what is it?" John said roughly, fear making it hard for him to speak.

"I can't say yet," Shana sighed. "But as soon as I know, I'll let you know, too." Looking around, Shana frowned. "Where is Em?"

John wiggled his phone. "On her way. She should be here in about twenty minutes with Virgil's girlfriend, Sarah."

Glancing over at a nurse who was taking notes, Shana caught the woman's attention before saying, "When Dr. Emily Haas gets here, page me." Grabbing her cell, Shana quickly sent a text. Looking up at John, she shrugged. "Uncle Bill will get approval for Emily to work here as long as Alan is a patient. She is his physician of record, right?"

John nodded numbly while Shana rattled off some instructions. "John, Alan will be placed in AACU for now. Both for monitoring and security." Placing a hand on John's arm, she smiled encouragingly. "Alan has one of the strongest wills I have ever met in my life. He'll make it, I know it. When will your father get here?"

Worrying his lip in a motion that would remind those who knew the Tracys of Alan, John ran his hand through his hair again. "I haven't yet. I guess I had hoped…"

Nodding to the nurse, Shana spoke. "Alyssa, please take Mr. Tracy up Adolescent Acute Care and alert Jacob from security to – No, just have him call me." Looking back at John, she nodded again.

"You can call your father from the family waiting room. I'm sending Alan for some tests and will let you know once he is settled in a room." Smiling in encouragement, Shana was firm when she said, "Emily told me how much Alan is looking forward to the wedding. And I told her, I want a dance with each and every Tracy. I plan on getting that."

John gave Shana a weak smile. He really wanted to believe her. But seeing a pale and still Alan wheeled away from him, John was afraid to believe his family hadn't used up their last chance at miracles.

* * *

Jeff Tracy knew the report he had been bugging his oldest son for was in front of him. He had read it five times so far. But he would be damned if he could remember one word of it.

The problem was another son. Somehow, seeing how worried Scott was about Alan only made the father more concerned. Alan rarely got sick – hurt yes, sick no – so the fact that Alan had been feeling sick for weeks now had sent up a red flag. The school nurse at Wharton's had sent a message to Jeff after Alan had first been treated but nothing had been sent since then. That would mean, for most people, that Alan was now fine.

Most people weren't a Tracy, with their overdeveloped denial of anything that could make them appear weak.

But Jeff also knew that Alan still was stressed out over several things. The teenager still was wary that the person who had run him down last year – and then tried to get to Alan in the hospital – was still apparently on the loose. Alan still occasionally suffered from nightmares of both the incidents with the Hood and the bank robbery in which he and John had been held hostage. In his nightmares, the entire family had either died up on Five or John had been killed right in front of Alan.

Picking up a picture of the five boys taken during Spring Break, Jeff smiled and traced the face of his youngest. He knew that many parents had complained about the project of the complete revamping of the HVAC system at the school being divided into two sections and both the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks had been extended because of it. Jeff had been thrilled, since it meant that they would have more time with Alan. And since Fermat was working on a special project, Brains had been happy that he had an excuse to pick up Fermat separately.

Thinking of his best friend, Jeff smiled again. Even though Brains had offered to take the turn up on Five so the Tracys could be together for Thanksgiving, Jeff hadn't felt it was fair. The man was already doing two weeks at Christmas on the space station. Mind you, Fermat was accompanying his father. It was their version of paradise – two weeks of tinkering with circuit boards and computer programs. But for Thanksgiving, the Hackenbackers were borrowing the Tracy penthouse. Both geniuses were excited at the thought of watching the world famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade went right past Tracy Towers and his employees always blocked off the entrance for themselves and their families.

A quiet beep drew Jeff's attention to the vid-phone. Flipping a button, Jeff's smile at the sight of his second son vanished when he saw the strained, anxious face and the red-rimmed eyes.

"John?" Jeff asked, his parental instincts going into overtime.

"Dad," John started in a shaky voice before swallowing and trying again. "Dad, you need to get out here now."

"What is it, John?" John begged. "What's wrong?"

John chewed on his upper lip for a minute. "Dad, Alan collapsed at school. He made it through most of his last class before he just collapsed."

"He fainted?"

Shaking his head, John took a deep breath. "No, collapsed. He hasn't regained consciousness yet and they're not sure why Alan - Well, they just don't know what is wrong with him."

Jeff stared at his son in disbelief. _No, _he thought in panic. _No, Alan just has a stomach bug. He's fine. He has to be alright._

"I hope he will be, Dad," John said softly. When Jeff looked puzzled, John gave a weak smile. "Alan – I hope he will be alright. But you know he always feels better with either you or Scott there. I know we have "the family business" but – Dad, Alan needs us."

Closing his eyes for a moment, Jeff took a deep breath before looking at John again. "John – I'll be putting out notice that we are temporarily unavailable. Computer problem or something. I'll toss it over to Penny. She would never forgive me if I didn't call her, anyways."

John gave another small smile. Lady P did adore the youngest Tracy as did her loyal companion, Parker. He always thought either of them would have made a great parent.

"I'll keep you informed Dad," John said. "Emily and Sarah should be here soon and Shana Pierce has assumed Alan's case. So he's in good hands. Call me when you are approaching Springfield."

"I will, John," Jeff said solemnly. "Take care of your brother until we get there."

"Like you even had to ask?" John asked.

"No," Jeff said with a sad smile. "I never had had to ask that of any of you boys. Tell Allie that we are coming."

"I will, Dad."

As he signed off, Jeff placed his head in his hands. How was he going to tell his other sons about this latest threat to their family?

Almost as if thinking of them had conjured the remaining Tracy sons, Scott, Virgil and Gordon entered their father's office, making him raise his head back up.

"Hey, Dad," Gordon said cheerfully. "Johnny call yet?"

Scott was watching Virgil as the middle Tracy son moved over to the window, watching the beautiful tropical scene below. It took him a moment to realize Jeff hadn't answered yet.

"Dad?" Scott asked cautiously. "Is everything alright?"

Jeff ran his hand through his hair before answering. "Boys," he said solemnly. "We need to talk."

* * *

Emily Haas hadn't even taken time to greet her fiancée, instead heading straight to the room where Alan was being examined.

"Shana," the blonde doctor greeted her dark-haired counterpart. The two had bonded closely in medical school, both being prodigies making them stand out. That they were also attractive females seemed to make others doubt their intelligence. As Emily had once put it, _"You would have thought the whole "prodigies" before our names would give them a clue."_

"How is he?" Emily asked before Shana could say anything.

"He's holding his own," Shana said. "We're carefully monitoring his cardiovascular system. Something is seriously out of whack."

"Out of whack?" Emily asked sarcastically. "Is that a new term I missed in the medical journals?"

Shana gave a soft smile. She had always been more relaxed than Emily, having grown up first with loving parents and then, after their deaths in a car accident, by a godfather who had adored her as his own. Shana knew that Emily had grown up with a disapproving mother, an absentee father and didn't really know her brother. It was one of the reasons she had hoped that her friend would hook up with one of the Tracys. Emily needed the security of knowing she was loved.

"What do you have so far?" Emily asked.

Picking up a data pad, Shana began to review. "According to a classmate who Alan confided in, Alan hasn't been feeling well for close to four weeks. He was seen by the school nurse almost three weeks ago, who diagnosed a stomach bug that had been going around. This was backed up by nausea, loss of appetite, some vomiting and minor vertigo. He followed instructions – light foods, plenty of fluids, sticking to juices and water versus caffeinated or carbonated beverages. But instead of getting better like most of his classmates, Alan seemed to get worse. His symptoms continued and additional ones appeared. Alan began to have trouble sleeping; both from an increasing need to urinate at night and trouble breathing when he would lie down."

"With the increase of nighttime urination," Emily asked, "was there a decrease in daytime?"

Glancing at the notes, Shana nodded. "Yes. Alan also had several more severe dizzy spells, including one earlier today. He also admitted to some blurred vision and one episode of halo-vision."

"Wo-kay," Emily breathed out. "Are you thinking possible toxic reaction to something that has been introduced to his environment? Maybe a previously undiagnosed allergen?"

Shana bowed her head breathing deeply before looking up at her friend. "I'm leaning towards something being intentionally introduced."

"Like what?" Emily asked as she took the data pad from Shana's hands. She almost dropped it with what Shana said next.

"Poison or drugs."

"What?" Emily gasped. "Who would poison Alan? And don't even try to convince me Alan would do drugs."

"No," Shana said. "The tox screen already eliminated all recreational or known street drugs. I've asked the police to examine his room for starts. His roommate – Fermat?" she said in a questioning note. When Emily nodded, Shana continued.

"Fermat showed the police Alan's desk, wardrobe and side of the room fridge. They are bagging any food or health and beauty items to bring in for testing. But it would be easier once we know what we are looking for."

"Doctor?" a nurse asked as she came into the room.

"Yes?"

The nurse jumped slightly when both Shana and Emily answered.

"Um, Dr. Pierce?" When Shana nodded, the nurse continued. "The lab is on line one."

"Good," Shana sighed. "Maybe we can get an answer."

Picking up the phone, Shana began to speak as Emily tried to follow the one sided conversation.

"Dr. Pierce here. Yes, I was awaiting the results of Alan Tracy's lab work. Yes, I know I said I wanted an intensive study but I need a preliminary in order to begin treatment. Yes, that means now!"

Emily gave a small smile at her friend's annoyed expression. Walking over to where Alan still lay, she brushed back the teenager's bangs, concerned at the warmth and dryness of his skin. Even unconscious, Alan seemed to flinch from the touch.

"What!"

Emily whipped around, startled by the screech that emitted from Shana. She tried to speak but Shana held a hand up to indicate to wait.

"Run the tests again, make sure you run a full scan on the sample. I want a complete profile. With that, we can tell where it came from. I realize that takes five or six hours but we'll need it. More importantly, the police will."

As Shana hung up the phone, Emily was immediately at her side.

"The police will need a profile?" Emily asked. "Then it is poison?"

Shana breathed deeply before speaking. "Alan has high levels of digitalis in his system."

"Digitalis?" Emily asked. "Is it possible Alan was accidently exposed to some foxglove or something?"

Shaking her head, Shana frowned. "No. Too refined. Alan has been fed digitalis refined as digoxin for approximately a month. They took hair samples as well to determine how long. It's been steadily increased over time. It's not something that anyone in his family is on and I will double check with the school nurse, but I doubt any of his fellow students would have been prescribed it. It's simply too unstable."

"You're saying someone tried to hurt Alan on purpose?" Emily asked in dismay.

"No," Shana said in a voice somewhere between sadness and fury. "Someone tried to kill Alan."

* * *

John had given a weak smile to Sarah when she had been escorted into the small waiting room by security.

For her part, Sarah was quickly forgetting her anger at anyone – except Alan – named Tracy. More than almost anyone outside of the family could understand, Sarah knew how precious the Tracy Baby was to his family.

Because, she realized as John put a comforting arm around her and drew her close, Sarah was family.

"I was an idiot," Sarah muttered. "How can I ask you guys to forgive me?"

John chuckled. "It runs in the family," he murmured. "Just let Virgil grovel for a few minutes and then spend the rest of his life making it up to you."

Sarah blushed slightly, and gave a small smile. "He'll be ok, right?"

Instantly knowing which brother she was talking about, John kissed the top of her head. "He's tough."

Smiling again, Sarah rested her head on John's shoulder. "He's a Tracy," she whispered.

John shrugged. "Same thing," he teased, pleased to her a small giggle from his honorary little sister.

Emily chose that moment to walk into the room. She nodded in approval, both at the pair in front of her as well as the room. Shana had explained that each floor had a waiting area that could also be used for family consults. That was the room they had set aside for the Tracys, allowing the family privacy.

Looking up, John smiled at Emily. "Emmy – how is he?"

"Can we see Alan?" Sarah asked at the same time that John spoke.

Motioning for the pair to sit, Emily took a calming breath.

Then she took two more. This wasn't going to be easy.

"The preliminary blood work has come back on Alan," Emily gently explained. "And it explains all the symptoms."

"Well?" John asked. "What is it? Some kind of virus? Did -" John paused before continuing in a quiet voice. "Did we bring something back from a rescue? Something we exposed Alan to?"

"No," Emily said. "John, Alan has been being poisoned."

* * *

Lainie had been sitting in the parking lot of Bay State Medical Center. She had been preparing to head to Wharton's until Kyle had called her to report that Alan Tracy had collapsed. With his older brother by his side, the teen had been rushed to the hospital. Lainie had been waiting in the "borrowed" car, hoping to see the grief stricken Tracys arrive.

Instead, an old car, some kind of a convertible, had pulled up. Sarah Jane Woodbury had jumped out and tossed the keys to a valet at the front entrance. Even as she snatched the ticket from the startled man, the redhead had grabbed the tiny blonde woman who had emerged from the passenger seat. The two women began to quickly make their way into the medical center.

"_He must still be alive," _Holly said from the seat beside her. Lainie nodded.

"What should I do?"

"_Westcott said that the police were examining little Tracy's room. Why not call in like a good citizen? Anonymously, of course."_

Lainie smirked, using her smart phone to find the number for the local police. "Yes. I'd like to speak to the officer investigating the incident at Wharton's. Yes, Sergeant. I work for Tracy Enterprises and I overheard something not too long ago. Virgil Tracy's girlfriend was dumped by him and was furious, swearing she hated all the Tracys. And yet she was still visiting Alan Tracy. I understand that she even was still sending him some kind of snack. He started becoming sick after the couple broke up. No, no I can't tell you my name. No – We aren't supposed to gossip about the family and this could cost me my job. I just wanted you to look in the right direction. The girlfriend's name? Sarah Jane Woodbury. She's a paramedic in Massachusetts. I think she stole some drugs to hurt Alan with, the poor boy. Please – help him. I don't think his family will. They wouldn't want any scandal."

Hanging up her phone, Lainie smiled in satisfaction.

"_Good job, honey," _Holly nodded in approval. _"We got them. We got them good."_

"Yes," Lainie agreed. "We sure did."

* * *

_**A/N - So leave a review, make me smile. And this is for Sammygirl1963 who knows that I am there for you. Take care, Jean.**_


	18. Chapter 18  Still No Light

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Can't you hear me? I said "I don't own the..." Oh, yeah. I do have larygitis. So you may not have heard me.** _

* * *

**Chapter 18 Still No Light**

"POISONED?" John Tracy practically yelled.

Emily, her midnight blue eyes wide with amazement, shifted her gaze from her outraged fiancée to Sarah. The red-head's fury was clear in her face but was matched by the anger in the usually placid John.

"Drugged could be used equally, but as the progressive dosage was doubtlessly meant to be fatal, I think poisoned is a more apt description," Emily said calmly.

Sarah sucked in a shuddering breath even as she placed a comforting hand on John's arm. She was about to ask a question when the door opened and Shana Pierce entered.

"Did you explain yet?" she asked Emily.

Emily opened her mouth but Sarah spoke first.

"You couldn't hear John?" she questioned in dismay.

Shana shrugged. "The family conference rooms are soundproofed. Helps in patient privacy."

"Yes," Emily redirected the comments back to Shana's question. "Emily had started to explain. Someone has been drugging Alan? For what reason? And what drug?"

"Digoxin."

"Digoxin?" Sarah gasped. "But – but in a healthy teenager that would…It would…"

"Cause nausea, sleep issues, loss of appetite, dizzy spells, some vision problems, ultimately leading to cardiac issues," Shana said grimly. "Lucky for us, Alan didn't need to be shocked in the opinion of the paramedics."

John looked up, stunned. "I know basically what digoxin is. I know its uses. But why would it have been so much worse if Alan had needed -"

Emily grasped his hand as she interrupted her fiancé. "John, if they had – well, let's just say it probably would have killed him."

Sarah looked up at Shana before nodding. "What are you doing to treat Alan?"

Shana gave a small smile as she returned the nod, seeing that this young woman was clearly close to the Tracys. Heck, she even acted like them. "Alan is being installed in his room – same as earlier in the year – and I have given orders for a lidocaine drip. Lidocaine is -"

"I know what lidocaine is, doctor," Sarah smiled. "I've started enough lines of that for Mass General." When Shana looked puzzled, Sarah shrugged. "I'm a paramedic with Boston. With our locale, we usually transport to Mass General."

"Good," Shana said. "The only good thing is I know I don't have to explain any of this to the Tracys either. Um, John – they, um both…"

John finally gave a small smile. "Both Emily and Sarah know about International Rescue."

"Wait," Emily stood, glaring at her friend. "You knew he was – that the Tracys were…" her voice trailed off in splutters.

Shana grinned. "Yup. You remember the floods that I got rescued in, don't you? Who do you think rescued me?"

"I'm your best friend!" Emily screeched. "You arrange an introduction to John and don't tell me, oh, by-the-by, his family is also the Thunderbirds! What kind of nutcase are you?"

"What?" Shana said defensively. "Is he or isn't he perfect for you or what?"

"That is not the point," Emily hissed.

"Time-out!" Sarah yelled, grinning when both doctors turned to her. "Only one of us can be annoyed at the Tracys at a time, and it is still my turn. I tell you what, we'll do a girls' night out before Emily and John's wedding, you can get drunk and either settle it by doing shots or arm wrestling."

"Arm wrestling," Emily called even as Shana said "Shots". When John looked at her in surprise, Shana grinned. "She's a feather-weight when it comes to alcohol."

"Just because you managed eighteen shots of tequila," Emily muttered.

"Can we get back to Alan?" John growled.

Shana and Emily instantly became still, only to smile when Sarah elbowed John in a sisterly fashion. "Let them burn off some tension," Sarah hissed.

Taking John's hand again, Emily raised it in a kiss. "Starman, I won't lie to you. Until Alan is awake, we can't fully judge the results. And the longer he remains out of it, the greater the chance there is some kind of lingering damage. Brain damage is unlikely; some kind of permanent cardiac damage is more likely."

John grabbed Emily's free hand so that he held both of hers between his. "Em – Alan wants to run track. He wants to become a full-fledged Thunderbird. If this has caused permanent cardiac damage -"

Emily sighed. "Assuming cardiac damage of this nature? I'd have to medically advise against either of those. But let's not buy trouble. Let's get Alan through this first."

Dropping one of Emily's hand John reached out for Sarah's. Holding both, John looked at both women. "How am I ever going to tell the rest of the family?"

No one had an answer.

* * *

Kyle looked around to make sure there was no one to listen to his conversation. When he was sure he was alone, he pulled out his phone.

"_Hello?"_

"So is he dead yet?" Kyle asked when Lainie picked up the phone.

"_As far as I can tell – no," _Lainie admitted. _"It's not like I can walk in and ask for an update on the condition of Jeff Tracy's son."_

"Damn it," Kyle hissed. "Why can't that little bastard just die?"

"_Are the police questioning anyone?" _

"Beyond Hackenbacker and Wattamee, no," Kyle groaned. "Don't worry – no one can tie me to this, so you should be fine."

"_I better be," _Lainie threatened. _"Because I go down and I am taking you with me."_

"Don't even try to threaten me," Kyle warned. "My family has money and can make sure I never see jail. Can you say the same thing?"

It took Kyle a minute to realize she had hung up on him. Just in case, he decided to set up his fall guy in case Crazy Lainie was caught.

* * *

Lisa smiled slightly as she walked past Lainie's desk. The girl had seemed so lonely, Lisa was happy that she had found someone. She just wished Lainie had remembered to download the report before she had left for the weekend. Lisa needed to get everything pulled together before she herself went to California to visit her family.

Smiling at the thought of her father, step-mother and two half brothers, Lisa was happy enough about her plans to head west for Thanksgiving. But what was even better was that her parents had e-mailed her to tell Lisa that they would be spending Christmas in New York. Between this extra time with her family and Gordon in her life, this had been the best year ever.

Sitting down at Lainie's computer, Lisa quickly found the report she needed. She had just sent it to the printer when Max from IT called.

"_Ms. McKenna?" _

"Max, I told you – it's Lisa," the blonde laughed.

"_Um, yes, Lisa. Well, the internet use security report was logged and as her supervisor, we need you to review the search history of Elaina Roy."_

"Well," Lisa said as she began to use override codes to begin checking the history. "I know Lainie did some off-the-clock retail therapy. But I told her it was alright."

"_It _wasn't_ a red flag. Just a yellow one."_

Lisa knew that meant that it was the lowest level, usually just a review by a supervisor and maybe a verbal warning. An orange meant a departmental review and a red was – well, most people better have a resume ready if it was a red flag. Maybe even a good lawyer.

Hanging up with a promise to call back, Lisa set down her cell phone and began to review what was there. She frowned when she saw how much Lainie had been looking into the comings and goings of the Tracy family. The frown deepened when she found map-quests for Wharton Academy. Gordon had mentioned that Alan was returning there that year, even after the accident at the end of his Freshman year. Bewilderment was Lisa's next emotion when she discovered multiple searches on digitalis poisoning.

Lisa printed out the search history and prepared to grab it and run it by the department head. As she stood, her jacket caught on the drawer and yanked it part-way open. Grumbling, Lisa pulled the jacket loose, relieved the blazer hadn't torn. She was about to close the drawer when she spotted some pink papers inside. Pulling them out, Lisa was appalled to find that Lainie had been getting someone from sales to authorize her use of the fleet cars. Reaching down further, Lisa found several receipts, most with the name Vernon Hinkley on them. Why did she know that name?

Suddenly, Lisa grabbed the desk and blindly found her desk. Vernon Hinkley was the Tracy Enterprises' salesman who was murdered a while back. Forcing her lunch back down, Lisa peered into the drawer and spotted the cut-up credit card, with Vernon Hinkley, Tracy Enterprises, on it.

It was with a trembling hand that Lisa picked up the phone on Lainie's desk. She almost didn't recognize her own voice when she made the call.

"I need security up here. We – we may also need the police."

* * *

Alan sat up, feeling better than he had in a while. Why – he felt almost normal. Maybe he had been – had been…

"OK," he muttered looking around. "How tired was I that I don't remember flying back to the Island?"

Alan was in the hanger where they housed Tracy One and Two. He saw the blocks from where Tracy Two usually was but was surprised to see Scott walking up to One.

"Hey, Scott!" Alan cheerfully called but was a little hurt when his eldest brother wouldn't acknowledge him.

"Gordon!" Scott yelled. "Hurry up with those bags!"

"I'm coming, Scott," Gordon called as he ran down the ramp. As he handed the bags to Scott – who is turn began to pile them in the baggage bin – Alan gave a smile and wave to Gordy. His smile faded when his red-headed brother ignored him as well.

"Gordy?" Alan said, his voice filled with hurt. "C'mon, guys. What have I done?"

Neither brother answered him, instead working in tense silence to prepare the plane for flight. Alan didn't know what was wrong. Even before Spring Break, his brothers would have at least acknowledged his presence.

"Please, Virgil," Tin-Tin begged as she followed the middle Tracy brother down the ramp. "I want to see Alan, too."

"Well then open your eyes, Tin," Alan grumbled. "I'm right here." Pausing, he rubbed the back of his neck. "OK, so I don't remember how I got here, but here I am."

Virgil gently grasped Tin-Tin's shoulders. "Honey, we would if we could. But you remember earlier this year. He's in the Adolescent Critical Care Unit. No visitors under sixteen and no non-family."

Tears filled Tin-Tin's dark eyes. "Bring him home, Virgil. Please."

"Adolescent Critical Care?" Alan said absently before his eyes went wide. "Is something wrong with Fermat? Hey, he's my best friend. I'm coming with you."

Before anyone could answer Alan – not that anyone seemed inclined to, anyways – Jeff Tracy came down at a run.

"OK, boys - I talked to Penny. She'll handle a public statement to take IR off-line for the present time." Turning to Tin-Tin, he pulled her into a hug. "He'll be OK, sweetie. But for now, your mother is waiting for you."

The girl nodded her dark head, trying – and failing to smile – before she ran past her boyfriend to head back to the main house.

"Tin!" Alan called as she ran out of sight. Sighing he turned back to his father. His eyes went wide when he saw how pained Jeff Tracy looked.

"Dad?" Alan asked gently asked. Jeff had seemed to age years since the last time Alan had spoken to his father.

Jeff didn't answer him, instead turning to Virgil.

"Virgil," the father asked, his voice filled with pain. "I – I don't know what we have to face with this."

"Let's just get to the kid, Dad," Virgil said in what Alan recognized as his "medic" voice – calm and comforting. "We need you to be strong. Alan will need you strong."

"Why would I need him strong?" Alan asked. "I'm right here!"

Virgil turned to help Gordon with something when Scott came out of the hatch. "Dad? You ready to go?"

Rubbing his eyes, Jeff nodded. Scott came out of One and looked at his father with wide eyes. "Dad – do you know any more -"

Jeff shook his head as Scott's voice failed him. "John said they would have more for us when we got there. Just – Scooter, just get us to our baby. Get us to Alan."

Scott nodded firmly and turned back to the plane. Alan looked puzzled as his family all began to board.

"What the hell is the matter with you guys?" Alan loudly exclaimed. "I'm right here!"

"Not exactly, Baby," a gentle voice said behind him. Alan turned as his eyes widened in shock.

"Mom?"

* * *

Detectives Carlton McCormack and Albert Morton of the Springfield Police Department had initially resented what they thought was a milk run, going out to Wharton Academy for Boys when one of the students had collapsed. Doubtless the only wrong-doing would be that the kid was doing drugs and his wealthy family would sweep it under the rug. Finding out that it was the youngest son of billionaire Jeff Tracy had made Morton change his mind. He knew from everything he had read or heard about the man that the billionaire, for all his wealth, was apparently raising his sons with the same firm mid-western values he himself had grown up with on a farm in Kansas.

It had taken two phone calls to make McCormack think any differently.

The first call had been from the hospital, telling them that blood work had come back showing that Alan Tracy had been given a near fatal overdose of a medication that no one – not staff or students – was prescribed at the private school. Alan, at that time, had only left the school in the presence of members of his immediate family.

A second call – made anonymously – had also come, directing the detectives to the ex-girlfriend of one of the Tracy brothers. Morton was reluctant to follow that lead so closely since it was anonymous. But McCormack saw only a quick close to a case that would definitely get them some good ink.

"C'mon Morty," McCormack argued. "She's perfect for it. She's a paramedic, so she has access to the meds, plus you know what they say about a woman scorned."

"Yeah," Morton argued, secretly hating McCormack calling him Morty. "But why go after the younger brother?"

"Who knows how a broad thinks?" McCormack scoffed. "Maybe because he was closer? Maybe he was more trusting. Maybe she thought it would hurt the brother more if she hurt the kid instead. Women are nuts to begin with."

"With three ex-wives," Morton grumbled. "You would know."

The men pulled up to Bay State Medical Center and parked. "According to the hospital," McCormack said, "there is a family member here now. Let's find out what he has to say and then we'll call Boston PD to pick up Woodward."

"It's Woodbury," Morton corrected, looking at his phone. He knew that the hospital had requested that half of the food samples be delivered directly there and he was please to see the receipt for the evidence come into his in-box. Sadly, he also knew that the hospital would probably get results faster than they would, but that was typical in the underfunded world of law enforcement.

"It'll be slam-dunk," McCormack crowed, "when we can say we were able to arrest the psycho who tried to kill Jeff Tracy's kid. Hey, what was the kid's name again?"

"Alan," Morton sighed, wondering once more if the captain had looked at his transfer papers. He had lasted six months with McCormack, a month longer than the obnoxious man's previously longest lasting partner. It was also longer than two of the man's ex-wives.

* * *

"Mom?" Alan gasped in disbelief. "Am – am I dead?"

"No, Baby," Lucy Tracy smiled as she ran a gentle hand over her son's face. "But you are very sick."

"I have a stomach bug," Alan argued.

Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes, making Alan grin, knowing now where he got that look from. "No, you do not. God, you are as stubborn as your father. And your brothers! Even Tracy men can be sick or hurt, you know!"

"Then what's wrong?" Alan asked.

Smiling again, Lucy kissed her son's head as she pulled him in closely. "You've been poisoned sweetheart," she said gently.

"Why would anyone poison me?" Alan cried in disbelief.

Still holding him tightly, Lucy whispered into his hair. "Oh, baby – you don't see how blessed you are. You are loved by your family, and you know what is important in life, something so many others never learn. People see that and become irrationally jealous. Others may want to hurt you because you are so precious to the family."

"That's stupid," Alan scoffed.

"Well," Lucy shrugged, "so are some people."

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Alan asked only for Lucy to shake her head.

"Sorry, precious, but I'm not allowed to," Lucy said sadly.

"Then why are you here?" Alan asked.

Lucy pulled Alan to sit on a bench. "Because I've missed out on more than a decade of hugs. Because I love you more than life itself. Because I didn't want the only memory you had of me to be of me dying."

Alan leaned into his mother's embrace, content to be held as the soft scent of lilacs filled the air.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Baby."

* * *

John stood to follow Emily and Shana back to Alan's room when he turned to look at Sarah in confusion when she remained seated.

"Sarah Jane?" he asked. "Aren't you coming?"

"John," Sarah shrugged. "It may not be ICU but it is the next step down. Visitors are usually restricted to family only."

"You are family," John said firmly, pulling her to her feet.

Before Sarah could say anything, two men entered the room, followed by an arguing security guard. Seeing Shana, the man sighed in relief.

"Dr. Pierce," Jonah said. "These two _gentlemen_ are insisting on speaking to Alan Tracy's family."

"It's OK. Jonas," Shana said comfortingly only to be overridden by the first man.

"Listen lady," the first man sneered. "I doubt you understand police procedure, but this is important."

"I think I could disagree," Shana said wryly, making John and Emily smile, knowing that the woman was married to a Massachusetts' State Police detective.

"Whatever," he snapped. "I was told that Alan Tracy's family was here."

"I'm John Tracy," the astronomer stepped forward, raising one eyebrow to show his annoyance.

The two men flashed their badges. "I'm Detective Carlton McCormack and this Detective Albert Morton," McCormack said in a condescending manner. "We're here about the attempt on your brother's life."

"Fine," John said in what he hoped was a calming voice. "After Sarah and I visit with Alan -"

"Wait," Morton spoke up. "Sarah Jane Woodbury?" he looked accusingly at the red-haired woman.

"Yes," Sarah admitted, confusion in her voice.

"Guess we don't have to get you from Boston," McCormack crowed. Grabbing Sarah by the arm, he pulled at her. "We need to talk with you."

"What the hell is going on?" John snapped, the stress of the situation overwhelming the usually calm man.

"We had a tip about this broad," McCormack growled. "What are you doing here, lady? You want to make sure the kid is dead?"

"What are you talking about?" Sarah screeched. "I could never hurt Alan!"

"Sure Ms. Woodbury," Morton said calmly. "We just want to ask some questions."

Shana stepped forward. "First, you aren't taking her off premises." Holding up a hand in defense, she added. "You can speak with her in security. Jonah, take them to the conference room in security. And stay with them until a lawyer arrives."

Seeing Sarah's dismayed face, John stepped forward. "Don't worry, Sarah Jane. We'll take care of this."

"What?" McCormack sneered. "You so anxious to avoid scandal you gonna protect someone like her?"

"Sarah Jane Woodbury," John said through gritted teeth, "is family. And she would never hurt Alan. Honey," he said with a gentle smile. "I'll call our lawyers. I know one was in Boston dealing with some issues for the firm. He can get here the fastest."

Sarah nodded weakly before allowing herself to be lead away. John's gentle expression faded as soon as she was gone. Whipping out his phone, he made a call.

"Adam, it's John Tracy. How soon can you get to Springfield?"

* * *

_**CC - Aren't I so nice to Alan? He gets to visit with his mother.**_

_**Alan - Yeah, by almost killing me!**_

_**CC - But you get to see her! And you are going to spend time with all of your family real soon.**_

_**Alan - Disney World, sure. New York, cool. Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Park? Awesome. Another hospital room - I don't think so.**_

_**Sarah - Yeah, what do you think you are doing? Hurting my baby!**_

_**CC - I wasn't anywhere near your car!**_

_**Sarah - Not that baby! Alan.**_

_**Alan - It's ok, Sarah Jane. I really don't think she can do anything more to me. (Glares) At least not in this story.**_

_**CC - Never say never, Alan.**_

_**Sarah - You are scary.**_

_**CC - Duh. Hey, I found a new bakery that makes gluten free cupcakes. Yummy! And cherry-limeade, cold from the fridge.**_

_**Alan - She may be certifiable, but she does feed us.**_

_**Sarah (sighs) - You are such a Tracy.**_

_**CC - Just review people.**_


	19. Chapter 19 Bringing Forth the Light

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Do not own. Nope. Sorry this is a bit late. I have been real busy. I did post a one-shot that had Kate Eppes Tracy in it - I wrote it a while back but wanted to save it for Father's Day. It's under Numb3rs (which I do not own either) if you are curious.**_

* * *

**Chapter 19 - Bringing Forth the Light**

Sarah Jane Woodbury was pissed but doing her best not to let it show.

Remembering John's words, Sarah point blank refused to speak to the two detectives. The only thing she had said was "I am going to make sure you do right by Alan and not screw this up. I am waiting for my lawyer."

Sarah knew that if she called the station, Cap would have a lawyer out to Springfield within hours.

But she would bet anything the lawyer John was arranging was better.

"Ms. Woodbury?" Jonah asked, smiling at her as he reentered the small room.

"Yes."

"Dr. Haas had the kitchen send down some Earl Grey tea with cream and sugar," the man explained as he handed her a cup.

Sarah smiled her thanks as the man sat down next to her.

Jonah spoke again. "Dr. Pierce also said to keep you company until your lawyer gets here." Pulling a pack of cards from a pocket, he grinned. "How are you at poker?"

Smiling again, Sarah cocked her head. "I've worked some long shifts at the firehouse. I've learned."

Grinning again, he nodded. "I'm a retired firefighter. Nashua."

"So why are you here and not in New Hampshire?" Sarah asked.

"I was with Dr. Pierce's unit," Jonah explained as he began to deal the cards. "Between her and the Colonel – better known as the Chief of Staff here – I swear, they've got half the unit working here."

Sarah chuckled, happy to see that this was annoying the two police officers.

"This is not a party," McCormack began only for Sarah to calmly respond.

"No, it isn't. And I am not where I should be, with the people I consider my family in a time of crisis. And if you had a lick of sense, you would see that whoever tried to harm Alan is probably the one who gave you your anonymous tip. Now, hush until my lawyer gets here. I think I have a shot with this hand."

Morton tried not to smile at the odd puce color McCormack had turned. This may have been annoying but it was worth it to see the woman get the better of his hopefully soon-to-be ex-partner.

* * *

John sat next to Alan's hospital bed, softly brushing the hair back from his forehead.

"You need another haircut, Sprout," John said absently before reaching down to pick up one of Alan's hands. Raising it to his face, he let it rest against his cheek for a moment.

"Allie," John sighed softly. "I really hate seeing you like this. You have no idea how much this hurts."

John thought back to the first time he had ever seen Alan like this. Because they weren't allowed in the NICU – Newborn Intensive Care Unit – due to their age, the three middle Tracy sons had never seen how tiny and helpless their baby brother had looked at first, surrounded by monitoring equipment. But John could remember the horror he had felt visiting Alan in the hospital after the avalanche.

"_Scotty?" John spoke softly, entering the dimly lit hospital room. His older brother was refusing to leave their youngest brother's side since the little boy had been admitted the day before._

"_Johnny?" Scott looked up from where he had been gently speaking to an unconscious Alan. _

"_Uncle Jack is here," John said in a low tone. "He's going to bring you back to the cabin for a bit. Can you help Gordon pack? Virgil is almost all set. I packed Allie's stuff for him."_

_Scott frowned. "Where's Dad?"_

_John shrugged slightly. "Taking care of things for Mom."_

_The older brother nodded tightly, his father having told him the night before that they had finally found Lucy Tracy's body. _

_Deciding to change the subject, John asked, "Has he woken up yet?"_

_Scott shook his head. "Not yet." Stretching as he stood, Scott sighed. "Promise me you will stay with him. I don't want him to wake up alone. Allie hates to be alone."_

"_I promise, Scott."_

_With a quick kiss to Alan's forehead and a muttered promise to "be back soon", Scott headed out. John could hear Scott greet their honorary uncle and the two of them begin to talk as they moved down the hallway. Waiting until the voices faded in the distance, John leaned towards Alan._

"_Hey, Sprout. I've brought the book." John pulled an old, battered copy of "Fellowship of the Rings" and began to read. Scott thought Alan was too young for the book, but John did do some on the fly editing for anything he thought would upset the toddler. For more than twenty minutes, the only sounds heard in the small hospital room were a heart monitor beeping out the proof that Alan Tracy still lived and his brother's soft voice bringing a mythical world to life. _

_The new sound was small – almost non-existent. But it was enough to make John pause in his reading and look up. _

_Wide blue eyes blinked sleepily at John. He broke into a grin and set down the book. _

"_Hey, Sprout. How you feeling?" John frowned when Alan didn't answer. "Allie? Baby? Are you hurting? Do you want me to get a nurse? They can make you feel better."_

_Alan said nothing, simply continuing to stare at his brother, his eyes wide with some remembered horror. John was about to say something else when Scott came back in the room. _

"_Johnny, I'm -" Scott stopped speaking, grinning when he saw Alan awake._

"_Allie? You're awake," he said joyfully, reaching down and hugging his little brother. _

_When Alan didn't respond, Scott pulled back. "Allie? Are you ok? Well, of course not ok, I mean…" Scott trailed off as he looked down at the teddy bear he had carried into the room with him. "I thought you might want Boo. Here you go, Baby."_

_Alan took the bear, fingering a spot where his mother had repaired it only a few days earlier. When he looked back up at his brother, the toddler didn't speak but his words were clear even from just a glance._

"_Oh, Allie. Mom – well, Mommy was hurt a lot worse than you. You know how her mom and dad went to heaven a long time ago? Well, Mommy went to go with them." Seeing Alan's eyes fill with tears just about broke the two teens' hearts. _

_John climbed onto the bed on the other side while Scott cuddled Alan from his side. "Alan," John said softly, waiting until the three-year-old looked at him. "Mommy just loved us so much, she wanted to always be able to watch over us. You may not be able to see her anymore, but you have to know – Mommy will always be with you."_

"_And we promise, Allie," Scott said gently, "we will be there for you. Me and Johnny and Virgil and even Gordy."_

_Alan cuddled into his brothers, his silence louder than anything he had ever done in the past. Over his head, the older boys glanced at each other. Both were concerned at two things – Alan's continued silence and their father's absence. They wondered which would end first._

John sighed. Alan's silence had lasted almost three months. Jeff's absence from the family had lasted much longer. John had often wondered if one had something to do with the other. But seeing how sensitive Jeff was about that time of their lives and how reluctant Alan was for having the family know that he remembered their mother's death, John hadn't spoken of it.

"We really do need to talk more, Allie," John sighed. When the door opened, he looked up hopefully.

Emily walked in and smiled, teasing John even as she looked at Alan's vitals. "Sorry to disappoint you, Starman. It's just me."

John smiled back sadly. "Sorry, Emmy. It's just – well, Alan always did respond best to Scott or Dad. I keep hoping…"

Emily made a few notes and then moved closer to John, kissing him softly. "They'll be here soon. If there is one thing you have proven to me over time, it's that your family can do anything together. But I'll be here until your family gets here."

"Hey," John admonished softly. "You are family. And I never want to hear that from you again."

John sighed as Emily left, mentioning that she wanted to go over some test results with Shana. Glancing down at the messenger bag he had brought with him, John pulled out an old battered book and smiled at Alan.

"Ready, Alan," John teased as he opened the book, "We stopped after Two Towers, so here is "Return of the King." Glancing up for a moment, he began to read, _"Pippin looked out from the shelter of Gandalf's cloak…"_

* * *

If you were watching the south entrance for the Bay State Medical Center and your jaw suddenly dropped, no one would blame you. The four men who exited the rental vehicle, absently tossing the keys to the retiree who made his social security check a living wage by working again, were impressive. Three strongly resembled each other while on the surface the fourth looked completely different. That man was younger, stockier, with red hair and sea-green eyes. Yet, when you looked into those eyes, you saw the same fire and resolve as were in the brown eyes of the other three. His jaw was even set in the same firm lines and he moved with the same sense of determination and purpose as the others as they headed towards the admissions' desk.

The oldest of the men stepped forward and spoke to the clerk, a middle aged woman who glanced up in surprise as a man she had thought only to see on the news addressed her.

"My son was admitted a few hours ago," Jeff Tracy spoke with a sense of urgency. "Alan Tracy – one L, no Es. He was brought in by ambulance from Wharton Academy and his brother, John, should be with him."

"Yes, Mr. Tracy," the clerk said quickly, her fingers flying over the keyboard. "Dr. Pierce said to expect you." Hitting the print key, she grabbed the results from the printer beside her computer.

"Give this to the security guard posted outside of the Adolescent Critical Care Unit and he will arrange your badges for as long as Alan is here. I'll also alert Dr. Pierce to your arrival. Do you want someone to escort you to the ward?"

"No," Jeff said grimly as he took the form from the woman. "We know the way."

John tried to keep reminding himself that Alan would be fine, the kid was tough.

He was failing.

Just as his spirits sunk to the bottom, the door reopened for the first time since Emily had left to join Shana in the lab. Looking up, John felt his heart rally at the sight of his father.

"Dad," John said quietly, quickly moving into the arms that were held open for him. He may have been an adult in his own right, preparing to marry and start a family of his own. But there were times that each of us need the comfort only a parent can give, and John was not ashamed to say that this was one of those times.

"How is he?" Jeff asked as he gave John a visual once over, knowing that baring the burden of his vigil alone had been trying on his second son.

John shrugged. "A lot they won't know until Alan wakes up."

"Do they know what caused it?" Scott asked even as Virgil was reading Alan's chart.

Before John could answer, Virgil's gasp drew all of their attention.

Virgil looked up to see all eyes on him. But he focused on John as he asked, "Are they sure?"

John nodded grimly before answering. "Dad, someone has been poisoning Alan."

"What?" Scott growled, standing up from the seat John had been in. "I'll -"

"Do nothing," Emily said firmly as she entered the room. "Your brother needs you here – not in lock-up." Catching John's eyes, she began to give the low-down to the family even as John pulled Gordon aside.

John spoke in a low but urgent voice. "The police are questioning Sarah Jane."

"What?" Gordon growled, sounding suspiciously like Scott for a moment.

"Shana made sure that they remained on premises - they are in a conference room down in security - and I have Adam Bumper on his way out. I didn't want to leave Alan alone but – darn it, Gordy, someone has to be with Sarah as well."

Glancing at Alan, Gordon nodded. "Leave it to me, Johnny." Gordon's trademark grin crossed his face as he slipped unobtrusively from the room, leaving John to puzzle at his parting remark.

"They'll never know what hit them."

* * *

Sarah continued to thumb her cards, waiting for Jonah to make his move.

"Hah!" the man crowed, setting down his cards. "Full house – beat that, rookie."

Shrugging, Sarah lowered her eyes before spreading her cards. "OK – royal flush."

Jonah stared at Sarah's cards in shock before raining his eyes to hers. "I hate you."

Sarah just shrugged once more, wondering if her luck at cards would drain any from the rest of her life. Luck was something she needed right now.

McCormack and Morton watched the pair, with McCormack about to snap when the door opened.

A handsome, twenty something man entered the room.

"I am Adam Bumper," he introduced himself. "I was asked by John Tracy to provide representation to Sarah Jane Woodbury."

"Just Sarah," she said, standing up and extending her hand. "Only the Tracys still call me Sarah Jane."

That comment bothered Morton, recalling that the anonymous tipster had repeatedly called the young woman Sarah Jane.

"Only the Tracys call you that?" he asked.

While Sarah, Adam and Jonah all gave him a "Huh?" look, McCormack glared at his partner and growled, "And that matters why?"

"It may be nothing," Morton mumbled, but he still whipped out a small notebook and wrote something down.

Adam looked at the officer one more moment before giving a mental shrug and turning back to Sarah.

"Now, Sarah," he began, "have these officers respected your right to remain silent until I came?"

Sarah gave a small smile. "Somewhat reluctantly, but yes."

Adam turned to the officers. "Now, as I understand from your Captain – one Anthony Nelson – your primary reason for detaining Ms. Woodbury was an anonymous tip, am I not correct?"

"She kept visiting the kid even after she and the older brother broke up? Why would she do that?" McCormack snapped even as the door opened once again.

"Because she has loved Alan like a little brother since she was a little girl," Gordon spoke up. "And because even if she was pissed at the rest of us, she wouldn't ever blame her Baby."

Stepping forward, Gordon hugged Sarah and stuck a hand out for Adam. "Adam Bumper, right? I've met your dad a few times." Keeping one arm around Sarah's shoulder, the red-head explained. "Adam's dad is one of Tracy Enterprises legal eagles. Mostly corporate law. Adam's following in his footsteps."

"Fascinated by criminal law as well, but love a good turn at civil rights law," Adam said cheerfully in his British accent. Turning to the police officers, he glared, "But I am hopeful no one here is trying to shatter Ms. Woodbury's civil rights in order to close a case."

"What proof do you have that Sarah Jane would ever try to hurt Alan?" Gordon asked.

"Apparently," Adam spoke before the cops could, "all they have is an anonymous tipster."

"That's it?" Gordon asked incredulously. "That's it – Sarah Jane, you are coming with us." When McCormack looked to object, Gordon raised a hand. "She'll be right upstairs with us. If you two Keystone cops get any real evidence, she'll be waiting with the rest of the family."

"Wait," Morton spoke up. When they turned to him, the man reluctantly said, "I'll have to insist Ms. Woodbury does not visit with Alan Tracy. At least not until she is cleared. And we will post people outside the hospital. She's not to leave it."

"I won't leave until Alan is better," Sarah exclaimed. "But I want to be with Alan."

"The Tracys let you near that kid," McCormack snapped, "and I'll call social services. Once CPS gets involved, none of you will be near the kid."

Adam placed a calming hand on Gordon's arm just before the redhead would have swung.

"Gordon, it may be for the best. At least until Sarah is cleared."

"Gordon," Sarah said softly. "It'll be ok."

"Can I ask something?" Morton queried just before they left. When the trio stopped, he continued. "What did you argue about that had you mad at the other Tracys?"

Gordon thought quickly, remembering Virgil talking about his and Sarah's first date and their discussion of the fire that killed her family – and that most didn't know many of the details.

"Sarah Jane's family died in a fire," Gordon began then sighed as he hugged her once more. "She was pretty upset to find out that most of the family – except Alan – knew that her sister had started it on purpose."

"I knew," Sarah explained. "But I didn't think anyone else knew. It wasn't something I ever wanted to become common knowledge. And to find out they knew and hadn't told me – well, I got mad."

Morton nodded and they opened the door only to pause when he spoke again.

"Just one more question."

"Who is this guy," Sarah muttered. "Columbo?"

Gordon snickered while Adam missed the American television pop culture reference.

"You said only the Tracys call you Sarah Jane," Morton asked.

"Well," Sarah mused. "I suppose if I ran into anyone else from Bailey, Kansas – where we grew up – they would still call me Sarah Jane. Everyone in Bailey did, after all."

Morton made another note and watched them leave. McCormack was about to say something when Jonah snickered.

"Dudes," he laughed, "you are so outclassed, you may as well just drop out of school."

Still laughing, the security officer left the room as well.

McCormack turned to his partner and snarled, "And what was that all about? Just letting our only suspect go?"

"I don't think she did it," Morton said calmly. "Now, let's wait until the test results come back and if we have anything more, we can run with it. Sarah Woodbury isn't going anywhere."

"You better hope she doesn't," McCormack growled, even as his partner placed a call.

"This is Detective Morton of the Springfield, Mass police department. I'd like to speak to someone in personnel. Thank you," Morton said while waving down his partner. "Hello? Yes, I'm – oh, they introduced the call. That was nice of them. Oh, yes, I was wondering – have you hired anyone for Tracy Enterprises' New York office in the last six months who ever lived in Bailey, Kansas?"

* * *

Jeff and Scott sat on either side of Alan, holding his hands, speaking in gentle tones, trying to encourage him to wake up. Over by the window, Virgil continued to question Emily while John held her – for her comfort or his, neither were sure of.

Glancing at Alan in the bed, Virgil nodded as Emily explained all the possible complications. There were times he really hated understanding what she was saying could go wrong.

Jeff glanced over at the trio, having felt Virgil looking at them. He knew he should be listening as well, but he just wasn't up to it yet. Jeff was about to say something when he noticed something – well, someone – missing.

"John?" he asked carefully. "Where's Gordon?"

* * *

Shana stared at the two bags of trail mix in front of her. Picking up her cell phone, she placed a call.

"Nate, honey – I need a cop. More importantly, I need a cop's access. OK, here is the sitch: Two bags of Crosslake Trail Mix. According to the web site, the packaging should have a sky blue packaging with silver writing, bound with a silver band. But I have a second package in sea-foam green and gold writing, with a gold band. Yes, it's important. Why do I need your access? OK, you can ask the company about that when you also access their credit card records. Three deliveries of the product delivered to Alan Tracy at Wharton Academy over the last few weeks. Who paid for them? Could they have been tampered with by anyone at their factory? Once you start getting into potential product tampering they should be willing to help."

Hanging up the cell phone, Shana frowned. The trail mix in the blue bag had the tasteless digoxin liberally mixed among the dried fruit and nut-free granola. But the green bag was clean. In addition, she had discovered that the green bag had – according to the state police tech Shana had, um, "borrowed" – Sarah Woodbury's fingerprints all over it. Yet no sign that Sarah had touched the blue bag.

Turning to the tech, Shana asked, "How did you get Sarah Woodbury's fingerprints, anyhow?"

The tech grinned. "Government employees – at any level – are fingerprinted, Doc. You should know that."

Shana shrugged. Between her husband and her own time in the Massachusetts Air National Guard, the man was right.

At that moment, Shana's phone rang once more. "Hey, good-looking, did – Oh. Did your mother call? How is – No, Nate. I do not hate your mother. I know what I said, but the woman wasn't letting me off the phone. Fine – but the twins and I will go to Maine without you. Yes, I meant what I said and – Oh, good. Yes, talk with your father. Between the two of you, it should work out."

"Oh, that was fast. What did they say? Oh, they are doing a search? Yes, I understand – if it takes certain people to get the encoded info from the finance department it speaks well for their on-line security. But – Oh. The green bag is only available at their home store? And where is that?"

Shana sat up, a grin on her face. "No, flat-foot – it makes tons of sense. Just for that, I know someone who might get a full physical. Get me the financial info and it will be the deluxe physical."

Hanging up the phone, Shana dropped it in her pocket only to realize the tech was staring at her in slack jawed amazement. Shrugging, she acted as if nothing was up and walked with all possible dignity towards the door.

* * *

Lisa kept biting her lower lip as the FBI agent dug through the desk. Agent Daria Delgado looked up at the anxious woman.

Sucking in her breath, Lisa blurted out the first logical thought that popped into her head.

"Um, why is the FBI involved?"

Daria grinned. "Just consulting. Since some of the evidence from the murder was dumped in Jersey, it's technically interstate. And some of these receipts are from Massachusetts. I'm on desk duty at the moment, so this is the most excitement I have gotten in ages."

Lisa refrained from asking why the woman was on desk duty as the agent sorted out the various receipts. "Gas – motel room from Springfield – trail mix? What the heck is that for?"

"Maybe she was hungry?"

Daria glanced up with a stunned look. "Then she shouldn't have ordered from their web site. These are internet receipts."

"Oh," Lisa said. "Listen, Lainie is a really nice person. She couldn't have had anything to do with this. I – I'm beginning to feel as if I made a- "

Just then the FBI agent's phone rang. "Hey, Murphy. Any luck with that photo line-up? Really? OK. Put out a BOLO on Elaina Roy for questioning in the death of Vernon Hinckley. Yeah, it looks like she has the car from the Tracy Enterprises fleet. Start with the greater Springfield area but anywhere between there and Manhattan is a possible."

Hanging up the phone, Daria rubbed her stomach slightly before speaking to Lisa. "Ms. McKenzie? If you hear from Ms. Roy, call me immediately."

"Um, ok. But you said something about a photo line-up? What was that about?"

Daria looked grim. "The owner of the motel where Mr. Hinckley was murdered just positively identified Elaina Roy from a photo line-up as being the woman who arrived with him that night. So did a, um, working girl who was at the motel the next morning as being near the door of the room where he died. Now – no proof positive, but that is more than enough to bring her in for questioning."

When Daria looked slightly green, Lisa became concerned. "Have you not worked a murder before? You look a little sick."

Daria shook her head. "Nah. Murders I can handle. Morning sickness that lasts most of the day is gonna be the death of me." Shrugging, she abruptly changed the subject.

"Again, if you hear from Elaina Roy – contact me or call 911. Do not attempt to detain her yourself. By all signs, this could be a very dangerous person. Be careful."

Lisa dropped into a chair as she watched a crime lab specialist cart away everything from Lainie's desk, leaving a now empty scene. Lisa's boss had long since reorganized everyone in the test labs on the eleventh floor, leaving the young engineer sitting by herself in shock.

"But she seemed so nice," Lisa whispered, before remembering what her stepmother's sister's brother-in-law (wow, that was confusing) had told her once.

"_A complete and utter sociopath always looks normal. He's the nicest guy in the room, the one who helps old ladies cross the street – right before he slits their throat. In his eyes, the only person who matters in the world is himself. The rest of the world is nothing but an ends to the mean. Give me a slathering psycho any day. At least you see him coming. But a true sociopath? You won't see it until someone is dead."_

"Please," Lisa whispered. "Someone stop her before anyone else is hurt."

* * *

Outside the Baystate Medical Center, Lainie watched and waited. She had to get in there. She just had to.

Elias Delise noticed the willowy blonde standing outside the hospital and set down the hospital linens he had been sorting into his truck. Sliding over to her, he grinned.

"Heaven must be missing an angel, 'cause you just can't be real."

Lainie was about to turn and shoot the man down when Holly whispered in her ear.

"_NO! Look at his truck. Hospital uniforms. Complete access, baby!"_

Letting some of her blonde hair fall coyly across her face, Lainie smiled up at Elias. "Why? Do you feel like some Angel Food cake?"

"Yummy," Elias leered as he led Lainie towards his truck, missing the sight of the blonde checking her purse for the blade she had slipped in there once more…

* * *

_**Yep. She's really lost it by now. Review, ****please.**** - CC**_


	20. Chapter 20 A Little Bit of Light

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Thunderbirds aren't mine. Nope.**_

_**Now, if I failed to respond to your reviews...See, I hate this new review system. I can't tell if I have responded! But I read each and every one and thank you, thank you, thank you! Now, to any readers in the US - Happy 4th (a few days early). To those who are my neighbors to the north (no, not Maine. Canada) - Happy Canada Day (a tad late). And to those in the UK - celebrate. You were better off getting rid of that real estate. Think of how much trouble Americans cause and what we do to the mother language. **_

* * *

**Chapter 20 – A little bit of light**

Gordon and Sarah raced up to the ACCU, Gordon wanting nothing more than to see his little brother again. Sarah would have liked nothing more than to join them, but the threat of Child Protective Services hanging over the family's head if she did deterred her as nothing else would. The red-head knew how much Alan would need his family at this time.

"Gordon, Sarah," Emily said in relief as she exited Alan's room. "I was wondering when you two would show up."

"Hey," Sarah protested, "this wasn't my idea."

Emily just shook her head. "Wow. You even sound like a Tracy already."

"She is a Tracy already," Gordon said calmly before entering his little brother's room. The door was shut behind him before he could see the smiles gracing the faces of the two women.

* * *

Jeff looked up as Gordon entered the room. Before he could say anything, Scott gruffly spoke.

"Where the hell have you been?"

The oldest Tracy son ignored his father's glare for his language and focused on Gordon.

The red-headed Tracy just gave his usual lop-sided grin. "Well, one of us had to deal with the cops, right?"

Virgil looked up from Alan's chart at that. "None of them suspect any of us, do they?"

"Um," Gordon murmured. "Not exactly."

"What do you mean," Scott said suspiciously.

John looked over at Gordon who gestured to the hallway with his head. Sighing, he turned to Scott.

"The police got an anonymous tip," John grumbled. "They've been questioning Sarah Jane."

"Sarah?" Virgil gasped. "You gotta be kidding me?"

John shook his head. "No," he admitted before turning back to Gordon. "Where is she, anyhow? Wasn't Adam able to get her sprung?"

"He was," Gordon said calmly. "In fact, he went downtown to speak with the police captain. He wants to get a copy of the anonymous tip and any evidence they have to date."

"If she's cleared," Jeff asked as he brushed hair back from Alan's face, "why isn't she in here? And don't give me any of that nonsense about family only. Sarah Jane is family."

Gordon's murderous expression seemed out of place on his usually jovial face. "The detectives said that if Sarah Jane came into Alan's room, they would call CPS. They claimed it would be considered reckless to the extreme to expose Alan to someone who may have tried to kill him."

"That's insane," Scott grumbled as he stood. "Where is she?

Gordon gestured to the hallway, watching wide-eyed as Scott stood to head the door, followed by Virgil. With a shrug at the other occupants in the room, he went to join his brothers and honorary sister.

"I may be needed," he explained. "I think in this case, I may be the calm, rational one."

* * *

Alan had been enjoying the peace he felt as he sat quietly, listening to his mother's voice. As Lucy spoke, the teenager committed to memory not the words she said but the sound of her voice, the feel of her hand as it ran through his golden locks, the smell of her perfume in the air. And the warmth…Oh, the wonderful warmth of being held so tenderly by his mother was something he would never forget. For years, trying to remember his mother had made Alan only remember agonizing cold. But now? Now, warmth filled him body and soul and he could cherish the feeling for all time.

After a while, Alan looked up. Something felt…_wrong. _

Glancing around, Alan realized they were no longer in the hanger. Somehow, they had moved to a small cove the Tracys had jokingly christened "Alan's spot". OK, so his brothers had added "sulk" between the two words but it had been dropped after Spring Break.

One of the reasons Alan had frequently come to this spot was the natural bench a storm weathered tree had created years before. Currently, however, it was not Alan who was taking advantage of this spot.

Tin-Tin was huddled in the seat, her dark eyes swollen from tears as her breath hitched repeatedly from the sobs that racked her slender body. Alan knelt in front of her, unable to touch or speak with her yet desperate to offer her some kind of comfort.

"Mom?" Alan looked at Lucy, clearly distraught. "I – I don't know what to do."

"Oh, Baby," Lucy said softly. "Until you are better, there is nothing you could do for her."

Alan sighed, knowing she was right but hating the feeling of helplessness that swamped him.

None of the Tracys did helpless well.

"Tin-Tin."

Alan and Tin-Tin both turned at the new voice. Alan gave a small smile when he saw Kyrano making his way into the cove.

"My child," the Malaysian man said softly as he knelt in front of his daughter. "Your mother and I have been worried about you."

"I'm sorry," Tin-Tin sobbed. "I – I just couldn't stand to be in the main house. Not with everything of Alan around us."

"Daughter," Kyrano said gently as he pulled her to her feet and then into an embrace. "Alan is one of the strongest persons I have ever met. And he has a powerful motivation to get well."

Placing a finger under her chin, Kyrano raised her eyes to meet his. "Tin-Tin, I was at first worried when you became enamored of Alan. He is a good boy, yes. And I could not love him more if he were my own child. But he is still the son of a wealthy and important man. I feared that Mr. Tracy would not approve and your heart would be broken."

"First off, Dad," Tin-Tin stopped crying long enough to argue. "Alan would never let anyone tell him who he could or couldn't fall in love with. Second, Mr. Tracy would never say that. We're family to him."

"Many an open mind has been closed when it comes to what a parent thinks is best for their child," Kyrano said wisely.

"Well, not in our case," Tin-Tin said with conviction. Then she moved back slightly as she asked, "What made you change your mind?"

Kyrano smiled as he tapped the ring on Tin-Tin's left hand. "This. You may not have thought we knew, but your mother and I are aware that these purity rings that the two of you wear were Alan's idea. He is the one who wants to wait until marriage, more so than you, isn't he?"

Tin-Tin blushed. "Dad, we both feel too young, but yes – it is Alan who really wants to wait. He says it will be better. And he said he respects his father too much to break Mr. Tracy's rules. He also said he respects you too much to – well, our house would be out. And he respects me too much for it to be anything but the right time and place."

"Lucky for me that Alan is so respectful, hmm?" Kyrano teased. As his daughter remained silent but still clearly embarrassed, the Malaysian man led her back up the path.

"What were they saying?" Lucy asked her youngest son.

Alan blinked in surprise. He hadn't even realized that his girlfriend and her father were speaking Malaysian until that moment. Alan grinned, happy to realize his language skills were become smoother.

"You mean you can come back from the dead to visit but they don't give you a universal translator?" Alan teased his mother.

Lucy sighed as she rolled her eyes and looked heavenward. "He looks just like me but whose sense of humor did you give him?"

"Dad says yours," Alan deadpanned.

"Nope," Lucy grinned. "Gordon has mine."

"OK," Alan sighed. "NOW I'm scared."

Lucy laughed just as Alan felt himself be pulled away once more.

* * *

Sarah leaned against the wall, wanting nothing more than to go in the room. But she was afraid. Afraid that the cops would be spiteful and actually bar the Tracys from Alan's room. Afraid that not all of the Tracys wanted her there.

Afraid that Virgil couldn't, wouldn't, forgive her.

Breathing out heavily, Sarah slid down the wall slightly, only to straighten at the sound of a new voice.

"What the hell are you doing here?" McCormack snarled. "Didn't I tell you to stay away from your vic?"

Sarah glared at the man. "No," she responded coolly. "You said not to go into his room. This, I believe, is called a hallway. Can you spell hallway?"

"You think you're funny?"

"Nope. I think you are not far from finding out why you don't piss off red-heads," Sarah growled.

"Is that a threat?" McCormack snapped.

"Try a promise," Sarah said in a low, dangerous voice. Breathing deeply and deciding not to give the ignoramus any excuse to arrest her, she asked, "Where is your partner? You know – the non-Cro-Magnon of your dynamic duo?"

"Here, Ms. Woodbury," Morton said as he approached. Glancing at the closed door to Alan's room, he asked, "Is the family all in there?"

"Except me, yes," Sarah conceded.

"You're not family," McCormack snickered.

"Tell that to a Tracy and you are risking your health – maybe your career," Sarah said with a bravado that she hoped wasn't false. "I grew up with those boys. Jeff or Scott Tracy wiped my tears when I cried. John taught me to ride a bike. Virgil and Gordon went through school with me. And I was one of the few outsiders those boys trusted their baby brother to. I loved Alan as if I was his big sister. And you are wasting all of our time by harassing me. Someone out there tried to hurt that boy. Last time I checked, it's your job to find out who is responsible. So do so."

"We -" Morton began only for his phone to ring. As he went to answer it, Sarah addressed him.

"You can't use a cell here. It can interfere with equipment. You'll need to go down there," she said, pointing to a semi-enclosed area further down the hallway.

Nodding, Morton answered the call as he moved quickly to the "safe zone".

McCormack glared at Sarah before moving towards the door.

"Family only in there," Sarah growled, moving between the cop and the door to Alan's room.

"I need to talk to the family," McCormack snapped before trying to move around Sarah. And while Sarah was slender, she was tall enough and athletic – matching the man move for move.

"Get out of my way," the cop snarled.

"I'll let the Tracys know you want to talk to them," Sarah allowed. "But you are not going into Allie's room and upset his family more. Why don't you actually try checking for some real evidence and see if you can't find the truth? Or does pulling your head out of your ass cause you to be blinded?"

Sarah expected the man to be annoyed, even angry. She never expected him to take a swing at her.

* * *

Shana looked down at her smart phone, grinning when she saw a text from Nate telling her he had info and was on his way to the Medical Center. From the little smiley face at the end, she knew he had hit pay dirt. Now it was just a matter of putting together the clues.

"Speaking of clueless," Shana muttered to herself, wondering if Nate knew who she should speak to about the Springfield detectives who had taken Sarah Woodbury away. "_Although_," she grinned to herself, _"not as far away as they wanted to."_

Shana exited the elevator, heading towards Alan Tracy's room. She had wanted to be there when the Tracys arrived but her research into what – and maybe who – had poisoned the teenager had taken priority. The Tracys were always easier to deal with when you had answers for them.

As she moved down the hallway, Shana frowned as she noticed one of the detectives in the "electronic devices safe area" of the ward. The frown wasn't for the man using his phone there – many electronic devices could interfere with the equipment, this the reason for the designated area – but the fact that she had made it clear that the detectives were not to be allowed back on the ward without her ok. The last thing she wanted was that hot-head McCormack to start hassling any of the Tracy family.

Just then, Shana stopped cold.

"You son of a bitch," she growled as she started towards the other end of the hall at a run…

* * *

Scott and Virgil emerged into the hallway just as McCormack's fist struck Sarah across the face. Virgil immediately leapt forward and grabbed his girlfriend before she made contact with the floor.

Seeing his brother had Sarah, Scott turned on the cop. "You bastard," he snapped, grabbing McCormack by the front of his shirt and pulling back his arm for a matching punch when someone grabbed his arm and pulled the oldest Tracy brother back.

"Aw, Nate," Shana grumbled at her newly arrived spouse. "Why didn't you let him belt the jerk?"

"Because," Nathan Matthews patiently explained, "Alan needs his brother here, not in jail for hitting a cop. Even an idiot like this one."

"Who the hell are you to call me an idiot?" McCormack snarled.

Nathan grinned devilishly and pulled out his badge. "Lieutenant Nathan Matthews, Massachusetts State Police. And don't think I didn't see you striking a civilian. When I am through with you, you'll be lucky to get a job doing security at Home Depot."

Morton had returned as Nate was introducing himself, and sighed with relief. He would have pressed charges against his partner himself, but would rather not. Even if he was on the right side, no one wanted to team with someone who would turn on their partner. Not to mention, as a member of the State Police, Matthews would have greater influence in the case. It was a win-win situation in his book.

Deciding not to involve himself in the situation, Morton was about to speak when he saw Dr. Pierce looking at him. Raising his hands to show he wasn't stepping in, Morton relaxed when the young – and rather attractive – doctor sighed and smiled slightly. Wondering if she was seeing anyone, Morton was disappointed when Dr. Pierce turned to Detective Matthews and greeted him with a kiss.

"Did you get the information we needed?" Shana asked her husband.

"Yes," Nate said, before turning to the two local cops.

"Now, according to the lab here at the medical center, there were two different bags of trail mix from the same company in Alan's room. One bag had been tampered with. That bag Alan received via mail, and was ordered, along with a couple of others, from the company – Crosslake Snack Foods – on their web site."

"The other bag," Nate continued, "is a design only available from company's home store, located in Copley Plaza in Boston. The owner remembered Sarah Woodbury coming in several times to buy the items. She even remembered Ms. Woodbury mentioning they were for her "little brother" who was allergic to walnuts. The items purchased at the store were paid for in cash. The ones from the website were purchased using the credit card of one Vernon Hinckley -"

"What?" Scott gasped. When all eyes turned to him, Scott explained.

"Vernon Hinckley used to work for Tracy Enterprises. He was murdered several months ago."

"Crosslake Snacks is a tad annoyed," Nate said drolly. "The fact that the card was believed to be stolen at the time of the murder wasn't processed correctly and they are now out the cost of three bags of rather pricey trail mix."

"Sarah Woodbury's prints are on the bags that were purchased at the store," Shana broke in. "But not the ones delivered. In fact, the only prints on that one were Alan's."

"So?" McCormack sneered.

"So, dumbass," Shana snapped back. "The bag was completely wiped clean before Alan handled it. This means someone probably tampered with the bag, more than likely once it arrived at Wharton's but before Alan received it, wiped it clean and replaced the band at the top. Plus – there is what it was tampered with."

"Digoxin," Sarah mumbled through the handkerchief Virgil was pressing against her split lip.

"_Liquid _digoxin," Shana said triumphantly, sighing when only Sarah and Virgil didn't look at her blankly.

"Liquid digoxin," Shana explained, "is only available to physicians – usually only in hospitals. Plus, there is the chemical DNA of this drug."

"You see," the physician continued, "each drug introduced in this country needs a patent before it can even go to drug trials. The formula is on file. This variant of digoxin was only introduced six months ago. It only went to limited trials in September. And it isn't available in Massachusetts at this time."

"Where is it available?" Morton asked as he wrote down notes.

"Chicago, Dallas and New York City," Shana said quickly. "And I am having doctors who signed for the drugs in each city verify their supplies and confirm that the amounts match their inventory."

Morton sighed. "I think a lot of this goes back to New York. I was curious about something Ms. Woodbury said - about the fact that no one with the exception of the Tracys called her Sarah Jane. The tip we received was supposedly from an employee at Tracy Enterprises in Manhattan. The caller repeatedly called her Sarah Jane. So I checked to see if anyone in the last six months had started work there and previously lived in Bailey, Kansas. There were three people. One was a male, one had transferred to Kansas City after a month due to homesickness and the third was -"

"Elaina Roy," Sarah and Virgil said in sync, making Morton nod grimly.

Sarah removed the compress from her mouth. "Lainie was my sister's best friend. Those two were practically joined at the hip throughout high school."

"I'm waiting for a call back from an FBI agent in New York," Morton explained. "Apparently, she is a person of interest in an unsolved homicide down there."

"Vernon Hinckley?" Scott questioned, sighing when Morton nodded once more.

"OK," Gordon said, having being uncharacteristically quiet up to this point. "Lainie Roy was always a tad, shall we say, off – but why try to kill Alan?"

"Lainie was Holly's lap dog," Sarah said softly. "If she thought it was what Holly wanted, she would do it. And anything that hurt me made Holly happy." She turned to Virgil with tears in her eyes. "This is all my fault."

"No," Virgil disagreed as he once more pressed the cloth to Sarah's lip. "Lainie was pretty pissed Prom night. She apparently had told everyone I would be, um, with her that night since Dad was out of town. But not only had she totally annoyed me by the end of the night, she made me mad that she thought I would do anything in the same house as my little brother."

"If you had slept with her," Scott said dryly. "I would have been making you a couple of doctors' appointments. One to check for STDs and a second with a shrink."

Shana snickered and Morton surprised the Tracys with a small chuckle. As the cop closed his notebook, he looked at Nathan.

"Can I keep you in the loop, Lieutenant?"

Nate nodded, pulling out a card and handing it to the officer.

"Please do. And make sure your captain knows I will be contacting him about your partner's conduct here today."

Morton nodded grimly and pulled McCormack away. As the men started down the hall, they paused when Shana's voice rang out.

"Oh – and Mr. McCormack?" The cop glared at her intentional slight of dropping his rank when she addressed him, but it failed to faze Shana in the least.

"Consider yourself banned from this facility."

* * *

Jeff looked up from where he had been sitting, speaking softly to Alan as he brushed hair back from his baby's face. Turning slightly, he raised an eyebrow at John and Emily.

"Should we see if any blood is spilled?"

"Nah," John drawled with a smile that reminded Jeff painfully of both Alan and Lucy. "They're in a hospital. They can get treated without having to leave the building."

"Men," Emily grumbled as she picked up Alan's chart and began to take note of his vitals. She began to frown as she looked at the EEG monitor.

"John," she said softly. "Press the nurse call button. I need Shana in here."

Jeff was about to ask why when he noticed Alan's hand begin to twitch. He broke into a smile, as he reached for his son's hand.

"Allie? Sprout, its OK – I'm right here -"

Jeff broke off as Alan's head went rigid and the teen's whole body began to convulse. Emily leapt forward and rolled Alan on his side, before looking up at and ordering John, "John – Shana – NOW!"

* * *

**_A/N - Huh. I beat up everyone here, don't I?_**

**_Alan - Oh, yeah._**

**_CC - Know what I hate? Readers who whine because some of us like to whump. Now - anyone here like Emergency? I do. And one author - Hamtor - loves to do John Gage whump. I mean ALL of her Emergency stories on Johnny Whump. And some clueless twits say smart aleck things like "Oh, is this another Beat Johnny Up Story"? If I were her, I would say - "Um, DUH!". But she is British. Probably too polite. I actually said something to one of her critics and got a nasty PM. I deleted it. This person annoyed me. And I ignore people who annoy. I haven't heard a word Obama has said in years._**

**_Alan - Are you done yet? _**

**_CC (blush) - Oh, um, yeah._**

**_Alan - OK, no more writing our convos after you work both jobs._**

**_CC - It's not the both jobs. It's the pain meds for the sprained ankle._**

**_Virgil - You sprained your ankle?_**

**_CC - And wrenched my knee. Can you check them out?_**

**_Alan (whispers) - I thought you had a doctor check them out already._**

**_CC (whisper) - Virgil is hotter. Now hush before I make you worse. Oh, man - he has awesome hands._**

**_Alan - Ugh._**

**_Virgil - Looks good. Now (frowns) - why did you have to hurt Sarah?_**

**_CC - So you can give her some TLC._**

**_Virgil (grins) - I like the way you think._**

**_Alan - You are both warped and strange._**

**_CC (beams) - Thanks!_**

**_Virgil - Um - thank you. I think._**

**_CC - Just go with it. Artists and madmen are always not appreciated in their own time._**

**_Alan - That fits. _**

**_CC - Sure does. Sugar cookies and lemonade? Take care!_**


	21. Ch 21 Light at the End of the Tunnel?

**Light and Shadows **

**by Criminally Charmed**

**Disclaimer - I will own the Thunderbirds when we become a colony again. Of course, with the amount of debt that is being bought up by foreign countries, we could end up...NAH. Happy 4th July to everyone! (Non-Americans - Have a nice day!) Now, I'm about to sit down and watch the Pops with my family. (Fourth of July tradition. LOVE IT!) Enjoy the early posting.**

* * *

**Chapter 21 – The light at the end of the tunnel?**

Virgil tenderly helped Sarah to her feet, even as Shana approached the pair. Pulling on a pair of gloves, the young physician gently probed the paramedic's lip.

"Well," Shana said finally, "you won't need stitches, but -"

"You'll need an ice pack," Gordon interrupted cheerfully, handing the object to Virgil. As Virgil placed it as carefully as he could against Sarah's abused mouth, Gordon just grinned. "What can I say? The nurses here liked me."

Shana glanced down the hall where Nurse Allison Fox waved with a cheerful grin of a woman way too used to mild injuries. As the mother of five sons, it shouldn't have been surprising the nurse was quick to handle the simple things and efficient when it came to major traumas. Thinking of her own twin sons, now approaching their first birthdays, Shana sighed in her head. Jensen and Jared were starting to try and walk and would soon be testing how well she and Nate had childproofed their home.

Oh joy.

"Ms. Woodbury," Nate addressed her as he pulled out a small data pad. "I assume you want to press charges for your assault."

Sarah found herself reverting to the uncertain girl she had been in Bailey. "Um, I don't know -"

"She will be," Scott said firmly. When Sarah looked to object, the oldest Tracy son shook his head. "No, honey – you have to. Guys like that will continue to abuse power until someone stops them. Detective -"

"Lieutenant," Shana corrected with a proud smile at her husband.

Scott nodded. "Lieutenant – congrats by the way – Matthews can file a complaint, but without you pressing charges, that jerk will get a slap on the wrist. He needs to be busted and hard. I doubt that was a onetime event. But unlike others he has abused over the years, you'll be there with our family behind you. The Tracy name has been known to carry a bit of weight, you know."

Sarah started to smile only to wince in pain, making Virgil once more attentive. Leaning close, he brushed his lips over her hair and whispered, "Let's go see Alan."

Nodding in agreement, the group turned to head into Alan's room when a sudden alarm was heard. John yanked open the door, ready to call out when he spotted Shana.

"Dr. Pierce – now! Emily needs you with Alan," he cried out.

The entire group hurried into the room, only for Emily to look up. "Medical personnel only! Now! I'll come get you as soon as I can." With that said, the two young female doctors began to work in perfect sync even as an orderly herded the family back into the hall.

Sarah and Nate looked at the shell-shocked Tracys and quickly led the down to a waiting area. Once there, Virgil asked his father,

"Dad, what happened? Alan -"

John ran his hands over his face and when Jeff failed to answer his middle son, the astronomer spoke up. "It looked like a seizure. Emily was definitely treating it like one."

Virgil nodded, having seen Emily holding Alan on his side, necessary during a seizure as a patient could vomit during the event and choke to death.

"What could have caused it?" Gordon asked with his face unnaturally pale as he moved closer to his father.

"There are a few possibilities," Sarah supplied. "He could be suffering from cardiac or other issues. Or, more likely, there could be a buildup of toxins in one or both kidneys caused by the complications that arose from the digoxin poisoning."

"Not bad," Emily said as she approached the group. "That is the most likely culprit." Turning to Jeff, Emily kneeled in front of him.

"We'll be taking Alan down for some scans, but I don't think there was any real damage. If anything, the seizure was helpful."

"Helpful!" Scott snapped. "How the hell could that be helpful?"

John looked angry on his fiancée's behalf while Jeff's soft "Scott" calmed the older brother, letting John relax as well.

Emily smiled softly, sympathy in her eyes. "Scott, I know seeing Alan like that was scary. I can't blame you. But the seizure has probably pointed out the toxic buildup and will allow us to flush it out. Which is much better than the dialysis or total kidney failure that would have occurred had we not found this now, right?" When Scott nodded, Emily turned back to Jeff.

"Dad, I want you and the boys to go get something to eat. No," she said firmly. "I doubt any of you have had anything solid to eat in sometime. Now, Sarah," she smiled at the redhead. "As a member of the sisterhood of women who are both lucky enough and crazy enough to love a Tracy, I am charging you with making sure they all eat something decent."

Glancing at the group with a tender smile, Emily stepped back. "Oh, and Shana told Nurse Fox to call someone named Maddie and tell her you were on your way." Leaning close to John, she squeezed his hand in support. "Bring me a sandwich afterwards. Chicken salad if they have it." Emily turned to walk away before glancing at the worried family.

"I won't leave him, I promise. Alan knows how much you love him. And I'll make sure he is safe."

After Emily left, John sighed and glanced over at Sarah. Between the two of them, they gathered up the rest of the family and headed to the elevator. No one was particularly hungry but having something to do – even something they didn't want to do – was better than nothing for the moment.

* * *

Alan was a bit confused, looking around the room and not recognizing where he was at first. Then he frowned. The place seemed familiar…

"How is he doing, Shay?" Emily asked as she re-entered the room.

Shana leaned back and stretched before she checked to make sure Alan was secured to the gurney. "He's stable," she said with a small smile. "How's his family?"

Emily moved towards the gurney and Alan was disconcerted to see his body lying there, attached to monitors, IV and an O2 supply. He relaxed a bit as he watched his future sister-in-law run her fingers through his hair.

Finally, Emily sighed and looked over at her friend with a shrug.

"Worried, frantic, scared out of their minds. Alan is their baby. I wonder sometimes if that kid realizes how much they love him."

"Don't worry, Em," Alan said from his spot next to her. "I do. I know."

"I think he does," Shana said with a smile. "I got to watch them a lot earlier this year. I tell you, I don't know if anyone could have made the kind of progress he did without the level of love and support he had from his family."

"You can say that again," Alan grinned back at his mother who had come over to the gurney. It took Alan a moment to realize she was eyeing the small locket Emily was wearing.

"That's my locket," Lucy said.

"Yeah," Alan agreed. "John gave it to Emily. It was why we all knew he was going to propose even before he did. I thought you were watching over us?"

"There are certain activities your brothers get up to that I do not watch over," Lucy responded pertly.

Alan nodded. "Yeah, Dad doesn't want to know they are having sex either."

"Alan Sheppard Tracy," Lucy gasped.

"Oh please, Mom," Alan grumbled. "I know they have. But that doesn't mean I will. Not until I am ready and not just because I am hormonal."

Shana and Emily started moving towards the door with Alan when Emily asked a question that startled Alan.

"So is Sarah Woodbury cleared yet?"

Shana nodded. "Yes. But that one idiot cop is going to face charges. He hit her when she tried to stop him from harassing the Tracys."

Emily returned the nod. "Good. He's lucky Scott or Virgil didn't see him do it."

"Scott did," Shana said wryly. "And luckily Nate showed up to stop his from getting arrested for assaulting an officer."

Emily gave a small smile. "Well, they are on their way to get something to eat. I put Sarah and John in charge of that. So they should eat something."

"Don't worry," Shana grinned. "I made sure Maddie knows they are going to be there soon. She'll get them to eat."

"Who is this Maddie, anyhow?" Emily asked as they left the room.

"It's a long story," Shana said.

"Well," Emily's voice could be heard as the door swung shut. "These tests will take over an hour. Start talking."

Alan looked back at his mother. "I've gotta find Dad and the guys."

Lucy kissed her son's head gently. "We will, Baby. We will."

* * *

David Turcotte entered the storage room that the mail room supplies were kept in, his mind filled with confusing thoughts. Anyone with eyes in their head could see that Kyle Westcott disliked Alan Tracy – for what reason or reasons, none of them knew. God knows, Alan Tracy was one of the most likable students at Wharton's. And now, Alan was sick, taken away by ambulance after collapsing. A niggling suspicion had entered David's mind, but he knew he would need some kind of proof. In giving the proof, he would have to admit to his own sins, but in the end, no matter what the personal cost, David knew he had to do the right thing.

Pulling down the memory sticks that held the logs to the mail room, David uploaded them on the small computer in the storage room. The information compiled weekly and put onto the digital media for easy storage. Among the information in the files were who any packages were for and the sender. Usually it was only used if a student complained they hadn't received a promised delivery. But now…

Bringing up multiple reports, David looked dismayed. He had discreetly noted on a paper calendar out front the times Kyle had come in and insisted David "take a break". At the time, David had wondered if Kyle was stealing packages but as no complaints came in, he had been unsure exactly what was happening. But there it was. On the same days Alan Tracy had received deliveries from the Crosslake Snack Company, Kyle had been here. Having access to "priority mail" tape, located out front with the supplies,

Kyle could have opened the package, tampered with the product and –

"Oh, God," David whispered. "He tried to kill Alan."

David began to stand only to be yanked back suddenly. He flailed helplessly as the binding around his throat tightened. As darkness began to edge his vision, David was terrified to hear the voice behind him hiss in his ear.

"Now, now, Davey," Kyle said in his ear. "It's not nice to tell secrets. I kept yours and this is how you repay me? "

Kyle waited until David stopped thrashing and held for another minute before checking. Yep, the loser was dead. Knotting the rope around the slimmer boy's throat, Kyle's gloved hands quickly typed up a suicide note, confessing David's involvement in the poisoning of Alan Tracy, with a rant against the wealthy make up a weak, if understandable reason for his actions. Then Kyle tossed the memory stick into the storage bin before clearing the recent activity from the computer and pocketing the note with the dates on it.

Hooking the rope over a sturdy beam, Kyle set the scene before locking the door and walking away. As mail had already been delivered for the day, it would be more than twenty hours before anyone came back into the mail room. By then Kyle would have established an alibi. Then again, no one had any reason to suspect him of any wrong doing, did they? If Lainie tried to say anything, well, who would believe her over him, right?

* * *

Alan sat next to his father, longing to wipe away the tension and stress he saw in the older man's features. He looked over his shoulder at his mother.

"I feel so helpless, Mom," Alan whispered morosely. "It's my fault Dad is being stressed out again."

"Baby," Lucy crooned softly. "The only person at fault is the one who hurt you. Your father loves you. And it's his responsibility to keep you safe, to protect you."

Alan looked over at Scott before getting up and moving behind his oldest brother. He placed a hand on Scott's shoulder, blinking in surprise when Scott relaxed under his touch. He smiled at Lucy.

"Mom, it's like he knows I'm here."

Lucy returned his smile. "Yes. You and your brothers have always called it "Tracy sense". You all always knew when one of you needed each other. You could always make each other feel better."

Winking, Alan grinned gesturing to where Sarah fussed over Gordon to get the red-head to eat while Virgil tried to get her to drink some more tea.

"Well, at least one good thing has come out of this, right?"

Chuckling, Lucy nodded. "I always knew Sarah Jane belonged with Virgil. Ever since I used to put those three in the wading pool together. Gordon would splash about while Sarah and Virgil would be content just to be together."

"And what do you think of John's choice?" Alan asked as he moved closer to his other blonde brother.

"She's beautiful, smart, stubborn as hell and will drive him half-mad," Lucy said firmly. "Just what he needs."

"Emily loves John," Alan responded firmly.

"Each of you deserve happiness," Lucy smiled. "And I am not just saying that as your mother. You are all willing to sacrifice so much for the sake of others. Karma doesn't just punish those who would hurt others. It rewards those who deserve it as well."

"But you say it faster because your our mother," Alan grinned.

Lucy shrugged. The kid was right.

Alan had been enjoying just being close to his family, wanting to be there, knowing they could feel his presence, even if they didn't know what they were feeling. But suddenly, he began to feel…fuzzy?

"Mom?"

Lucy smiled at him. "It's alright, Baby. It will be just fine. And just remember – I am with you always. Do you remember what I would promise you every night as you fell asleep?"

Alan was about to shake his head and say that he couldn't remember that far back. But suddenly, he could hear his mother's voice from a long suppressed memory.

"_I will be the sun that warms you, the flowers that brighten your day. I am the calm wind that comforts you and the gentle rain on your face. When you feel as if life is too much to bear, I will be with you to lighten your burden. I will love you always as long as you keep me in your heart. I will be your angel, because you were mine first."_

"I love you, Mom," Alan whispered as darkness washed over him. "And I know, you are our angel."

* * *

Lainie Roy pulled at the uniform she had "appropriated", relieved that the driver had apparently been delivering a few uniforms for his co-workers as well and one was close enough to her size. After all, she wouldn't have gotten very far in her own clothes. For one thing, the entrance she was currently approaching as she wheeled the load of laundered hospital wear was for deliveries only.

In the second point was all the blood on her own clothing. A slit throat may have been efficient, but it was messy.

Unlike most entrances to Bay State Medical Center, there was no security guard at this door. A young man looked up from a desk where he had been entering invoices and asked in a bored voice, "Papers?"

"Huh?" Lainie said in confusion.

The desk jockey sighed and gestured to the clipboard hanging from the cart. "The delivery paperwork?"

Lainie handed him the clipboard and he pulled off the top form and began to review her delivery. "You're short," he grumbled.

"I beg your pardon?" Lainie whined.

Sighing again, the man gestured at the cart. "There were supposed to be 75 sets of scrubs, fifteen per bundle. One of the bundles is one short." He wrote something on the paperwork and handed it back to Lainie. "Initial there. And let your boss know to expect a phone call from us. It's not the first time we've been shorted and your contract with us is almost up. You may have to sweeten the pie to keep your contract."

Lainie smiled coyly and batted her eyes at the young man. He was fairly easy on the eyes…

"Nice try," he grumbled. "You have the wrong equipment to interest me. Get it?" When Lainie looked shocked, he smirked. "What is it with the delivery people at your company? The last guy hits on all the women and you try and flirt with me. Trust me - that will be added in the negative column."

Waving towards a door, he returned to his seat. "Drop off the load – third door on the right. Are you taking your break here?"

When Lainie looked surprised, he shrugged. "The other drivers around this time usually take their lunch here. If you do, just remember – we get the mail and express package trucks after 1300 hours. I expect your vehicle to be moved by 1245 or you risk being towed."

Ignoring her, the man returned to his paperwork as Lainie pushed her load into the hallway. Lainie sighed as she looked around.

Slipping into a nearby ladies room, Lainie quickly removed the uniform so she was only in a set of scrubs. She would probably be somewhat limited without an ID tag but it never ceased to amaze her how many people didn't watch who was coming up behind them, allowing her to slip in after an authorized person.

Heading up from the basement to the main level, Lainie discretely looked around. She had to make sure Alan Tracy was dead –

"Mr. Tracy!"

Lainie froze and edged closer to the wall. Jeff Tracy and three of his sons were emerging from a small café. A nurse ran up to the billionaire and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Dr. Pierce sent me to tell you they have finished your son's testing and he should be returning to the room."

"Thank you, Allison," Jeff Tracy gave the nurse a tired smile. Turning to his sons, he looked puzzled. "Where are Virgil and Sarah?"

Gordon exchanged a concerned look with John before answering. "Um, Dad – Virg just said the two of them were going to talk for a few moments. They're back at the café."

"Sorry," Jeff sighed. "I guess -"

"It's OK, Dad," John said in a comforting tone. "None of us will be thinking straight until we know Alan is gonna be alright."

With that the four Tracys moved towards a nearby elevator. Lainie moved from the shadows and peeked into the café. Seated at a table by a large bay window was Virgil Tracy, tenderly holding Sarah Jane Woodbury's hand in his left while he brushed back strands of her red hair that had fallen from her braid. _Obviously_, Lainie hissed in her mind, _the cops were too dumb to take a readymade suspect._

_W__ell, _Holly answered her, _then you'll just have to take care of my darling sister on a permanent basis._

Lainie felt for where she had secured the small blade, wrapped in the delivery man's own handkerchief in order to prevent any blood from marring her borrowed uniform. "Don't worry, Holly-wood. Soon – Soon you'll be an o nly child. After all if I can't have a Tracy, why should Sarah Jane? Maybe even that little bitch of John's should die as well."

_That's my girl, _Holly cooed as Lainie moved into the shadows to wait for her moment…

* * *

_**A/N - Yes, Kyle is nuts, Lainie is nuts...And cashews are nuts. Snicker. Sorry. Long day followed a short night. However, we did go to see Transformers 3 last night at the drive-in. It was cool. And I didn't have to work in the office today but it let me get the retail job done early. Which was cool (hey, it's time and a half) and we spent the afternoon at a waterpark we love. You can check it out online. Liquid Planet Water Park, Candia, New Hampshire. Hubby did the zip line and everything! Yes, he is nuts.**_

_**He married me! Laters! CC**_


	22. Chapter 22  Or an Oncoming Train?

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Do not own Thunderbirds. People who own things like this have a moral obligation to produce the product in a timely manner and not delay answers we are waiting for because of a special on the history of lint. Or a two hour episode on teenage-vampire-agnst.**_

* * *

**Chapter 22- Or an Oncoming Train?**

Sarah had gotten up from the table, insisting on gathering up the dishes the family had used before returning to table, prepared to follow the Tracys back up. She paused when she saw the rest of the men had left but that Virgil was still seated. Standing uncertainly for a moment, Sarah let out a gasp in surprise when Virgil snagged her hand and pulled her into a chair beside him.

Smiling at her, Virgil brushed a finger over Sarah's cheek. "Will you let me say I'm sorry at last?" he asked in a gentle tone.

Her eyes widening in shock, Sarah shook her head. "Me forgive you? I'm the one who overreacted."

"Sarah Jane," Virgil said firmly. "You were scared and a little annoyed -"

"Try totally pissed," Sarah interrupted before she could stop herself. When she realized what she had blurted out, she went as red as her hair.

Virgil just chuckled. "Yes. And Emily was pretty mad when she realized John hadn't told her everything as well. But we've gotten pretty good over time at hiding things from everyone outside of family. What we seemed to have forgotten is that you were family long before there was a "family business"."

Sarah giggled at Virgil's last words, mainly because of his use of air quotes reminding her of a younger Virgil.

Grinning, Virgil was just happy to see Sarah relax. "Hey," he said. "Remember how you use to sit on the bleachers during practice and quiz me between plays?"

"And the rest of the team would pretend like they weren't listening?" Sarah giggled once more.

"Coach Abercrombie use to joke we had the highest GPA of any high school team in Kansas thanks to our secret weapon," Virgil whispered.

"Really?" Sarah beamed.

"Yep," Virgil agreed. "We were the only team in our division that didn't have a single player on academic probation." Brushing a hand over her fine auburn hair, he smiled.

"Man, I had to be an idiot back then not to realize how perfect for me you were. We missed so much time together."

Sarah returned his smile and then gently kissed him. "But we have the rest of our lives to make it up, right?"

Virgil returned her kiss with a bit more passion. "You betcha."

Sarah played with his hand for a moment. "I want to go back to school. Emily was telling me on the drive here about a program in your area for Physician's Assistants. It's an intense two year program and I would be working directly for a doctor as part of my training. Emily's even agreed to be my sponsor."

"So…" Virgil mused. "Does that mean you would be too busy to work in "the family business"?"

"Forget it, Buster," Sarah teasingly growled. "I want in. In the "family business", in the family."

"Dad would say heck yeah to both," Virgil assured her. "And you already have the biggest "in"," he confided with a kiss. "You're in my heart."

Sarah kissed him back before she whispered. "Fair enough. Because you've always had mine."

Standing, Virgil pulled her to her feet and put an arm around her. "C'mon, Sarah Tracy, let's go see our little brother."

"Sarah Tracy," the red-head sounded out the name with a smile. "I like the sound of that."

"Me too," Virgil agreed as they headed to the door.

The couple, lost in their joy at their reunion and their concern for their little brother, never noticed the slender blonde who shot a murderous glare at them as they walked away.

* * *

Jeff moved quickly towards his youngest son's hospital room. He could only hope that Shana and Emily had some good news for him.

Opening the door, he saw Emily and Shana reviewing an electronic chart. But his heart lightened when Emily looked over at him and smiled.

"Dad," the slender blonde smiled as she moved closer to Jeff and held out a hand. Jeff clasped the delicate hand, running a thumb absently over the ring his second son had placed on the young woman's finger back in August.

Pulling Jeff closer to the bed, Emily was practically beaming. "We were right. The seizure was brought on by toxins building up in his kidney. We've started an IV designed to flush his system. The blood work is already showing an improvement."

Scott led his other two brothers in, with John immediately going to his fiancée's side. Emily smiled at him, making the brothers relax as much as her earlier expression had calmed their father.

Pulling up a chair to sit closer to Alan, Scott finally spoke.

"You were saying something about improvement?"

Shana walked over to the family. "Alan is starting to respond to treatment. We're hoping that he will wake up soon."

Gordon grinned in happiness. "Hear that little brother? You'll be coming home and we can drive the elders crazy."

"You can," John chuckled. "Alan is usually busy with Tin-Tin."

Jeff was smiling as he sat down. "Gordon doesn't like to think of his little brother as being romantic."

"Like you do," Scott muttered.

Jeff glared at his first-born until John did a stage whisper.

"Pot, meet kettle."

"Hey," Gordon said. "At least I have a girlfriend."

"You do?" came from John and Jeff even as the door opened to admit Virgil and Sarah.

Virgil had looked surprised at Gordon's words and seemed to agree with his father and brother while Sarah just looked at Emily and shrugged.

"Sure he does," Sarah said. "Let me guess – the blonde with hazel eyes at the New York office. I saw you checking her out after the bank robbery."

Gordon blushed slightly as he looked at his family, before grinning at the annoyed expression on Scott's face.

"Yes, Lisa."

Jeff looked thoughtful. "The Cal-Sci grad we hired?" When Gordon shrugged and grinned again, Jeff nodded. "Nice girl, Ann-Marie really likes her."

"Well," John drawled. "You don't get a higher accolade than that."

The brothers chuckled at that, knowing how much their father counted on his assistant.

Shana glanced over at Emily, nudging her friend. "Hey, weren't they supposed to bring you a sandwich?"

The Tracys squirmed slightly while Sarah just smiled. "Sorry, forgot. It was a struggle to get them to eat at all."

"Which we did," Scott said reasonably. "However, don't think I didn't notice you barely touched yours."

"Well, then," Shana stated. "You two – eat. You'll need all your strength to make sure these guys do what they are supposed to."

With the combined stares of all the Tracys, Emily and Sarah sighed and left the room. Glancing back at the door, Emily muttered, "Some day, there will be someone who will be able to intimidate them. I want to be there."

"And if she's a she," Sarah said cheerfully, "I want her to meet Scott first."

Emily just nodded as the pair left the secure ward together.

* * *

Jen Barry came into the clinic that she had worked in for the last year, calling out as she shut the front door behind her.

"Dr. Lessard? Dr. Lessard, I'm here. Sorry I'm late, but -"

The nurse's voice broke off and she screamed so loud that people later claimed they could hear her in Tracy Towers. While that may have been an exaggeration, several people going about their business on the busy Manhattan street certainly did and either pulled out cell phones to call 911 or ran towards the small medical clinic…

* * *

Morton was refusing to talk to McCormack and once they returned to the station, he had been waived off to start paperwork and make or return phone calls, while his partner was ordered into the Captain's office. Even as the entire squad room could hear Captain Nelson yelling at the officer, the dedicated officers continued their work with an almost smug bit of relief.

McCormack was, it seemed, universally disliked.

Returning his attention to the list in front of him, Morton made another call.

"Hello, Agent Delgado. Yes, yes – I have been working the lists that Dr. Pierce gave me. All of the doctors in Chicago and Dallas can account for their supply of the drug. And in New York, there are only two doctors who haven't responded yet. One is at Bellview Hospital while the other is a small clinic. Well, I found the clinic more significant. It's run by a Dr. Dennis Lessard. He has only one employee, a nurse named Genevieve Barry. Yes, I know – the hospital would seem to have more access but the clinic is mainly supplemented by Tracy Enterprises and works as an employee health service for the company – well, that branch at least. Since Elaina Roy seems a viable suspect – really?"

Morton listened for a few minutes before agreeing. "Yes, I would be very interested in hearing about your interview with him. I'll keep you informed."

Captain Nelson emerged from his office, followed by Nathan Matthews and Adam Bumper, who all watched impassively as McCormack stomped off. Nelson walked over to Morton who had paused in his work.

"Morton, Lieutenant Matthews has asked that you work with him on this case. By the time you have that wrapped up, I'll have found you a new partner. I don't think even the union will save McCormack's ass."

When the captain left, Adam Bumper looked at the two officers. "So – no more questions for Sarah Woodbury?"

"No, I don't think so," Nate said. "We'll let you know otherwise." He accepted the lawyer's card and nodded as the young man left.

"Anything new?" Nate asked his temporary partner.

Morton nodded. "An FBI agent thinks she has found the source of the drug that poisoned Alan Tracy. A clinic that is sponsored by Tracy Enterprises received some of the medication. Agent Delgado said she'll let me know."

Nate nodded before letting out a breath. "You know, I never thought I'd seen anything so crazy in my life before the last case I worked on that involved the Tracys. You have to admit – when they around, life sure isn't boring."

Morton nodded and the two men left to return to Bay State Medical Center, suspecting they could find more answers there…

* * *

Daria Delgado entered the clinic, her stomach slightly turning at the smells that hit her straight off.

"You ok, Daria?" Agent Greg Sanders said to his partner when she turned slightly green.

"Junior doesn't like the smell of blood and chemicals," Daria muttered.

Sanders chuckled. "Bet you wished you had stayed at the office."

Shaking her head, Daria grimaced. "No. If I don't leave the office occasionally, I'll go nuts."

Looking over at one of the cops she recognized, Daria approached him. "Hey, Donovan."

The young cop turned and grinned at the agents, having become friendly with them during the bank robbery that summer.

"Delgado, Sanders – hey. I hear congrats are in order." He gestured at her mid-section. "Ran into your hubby at an emergency last week. Guy is as proud as a peacock."

"Yeah," Daria muttered. "Wish the peacock could take the morning sickness."

Sanders and Donovan both started to laugh but a glare from Daria shut them up quickly.

"What do you have?" Sanders asked quickly.

"Well," Donovan explained, "we came for a murder, found the vic was alive if in bad shape. Skull fracture. And there was a message on his answering service from you, Delgado."

Daria looked at her notes and nodded.

"He was one of the last doctors I had to talk with about a drug used in a crime. Is the vic in any shape to talk?"

"Nope," Donovan said grimly. "The way the paramedics were going on, I'm not sure if we didn't just delay the inevitable."

"Who found him?" Sanders asked.

Donovan gestured to a woman, dressed in colorful scrubs, sobbing in the corner. Together, the trio approached her as she sobbed out, "He looked dead! I should have tried to help him. I'm a nurse."

"Are you the only nurse here?" Daria asked as they stepped in front of her.

Jen Barry nodded as she looked up. "Yes. Jennifer Barry – I'm the only RN. We do have an MA – a medical assistant – who comes in to do some filing and office work. Occasionally, Annie – Anne Schrader – does room patients. But since she only works fifteen hours a week, often after hours or on Saturday, Annie doesn't see patients often."

"Would she have been here before you got here?" Sanders asked even as he and Daria showed the distraught nurse their badges.

The nurse shook her head. "No. Annie is studying hospital administration at Brooklyn College. She does this as a work study. It's a good way for her to get a feel for the administrative side of the medical field. It's not uncommon for MAs to be looking for a way into the medical field. They get the basic training, can become an MA and then get work experience while studying in their desired field. Even before I started here two years ago, we've had MAs from local colleges doing work study here."

Jen took a deep breath before continuing. "Annie's school is on trimesters. She took her last final at 7am and then went to the airport to go home for a few weeks. It's why I was late – I drove her to the airport. Dr. Lessard usually does paperwork one morning a week and the clinic doesn't see patients so I told him I'd be late. He was fine with it."

"If it helps," a crime scene tech commented as he approached, "the victim was actually injured last night. He's been here at least since then."

"I knew it was her," Nurse Barry hissed.

"Who?" Donovan asked before either FBI agent could.

"Lainie Roy," the woman growled. "I tried to warn Dr. Lessard. That Woman was not to be trusted. I even…"

When the nurse trailed off and didn't continue, Daria sat down and leaned closer, to imply "woman to woman".

"What did you find out about Elaina Roy?" Daria asked in a soft, confiding tone.

Jen Barry drew in a shuttering breath. "When she was young, her parents divorced. Her mother moved back to California, where she was from, with Elaina. She was busy with her career and didn't have much of a social life for years. Her father had remarried within months of the divorce and had kids with his new wife. Little Miss Lainie disliked Kansas as much as her mother had and by the time she was twelve, was refusing to go back and visit. That suited everyone just fine. Until her mother got serious about a guy she met through her work."

"He was from the Middle East. Abu Daubi or something like that. It was only when he proposed to her mother that the crap hit the proverbial fan," Jen confided. "She starting hitting on her step-daddy-to-be. When it came down to it – her husband or her daughter – Lainie's mother shipped the daughter back to Kansas. According to my source, the mother figured the daughter was just acting out and some back-to-basics would straighten her out. She tried to get her daughter back into her life. Even sent her a letter and a picture of her new half-brother."

"Lainie wasn't buying it?" Daria asked.

"Lainie sent the baby picture back – ripped to shreds, with a promise to do the same if her mother ever brought the "half-breed" around her," Jen said.

"Who told you all this?" Sanders asked, confused.

Jen sighed. "The step-mother. I called, pretending I was looking for medical information. Mrs. Roy warned me that she firmly believed her step-daughter was a complete and utter sociopath, that she suspected the girl of doing drugs and even if she had allowed her to move back with them, she never allowed her to be alone with her own children. Lainie was best friends with a girl who – if rumor is truth – burned down her own house, killing her parents and trying to kill her kid sister."

"Mrs. Roy," Jen continued, "said it was a good thing Sarah Jane Woodbury never came back to Bailey. She heard Lainie swear at Holly Woodbury's funeral that it was all Sarah Jane's fault that her soul mate was dead and that if she ever caught up with her, she'd kill her."

Daria stood up, pulling out her phone. Dialing quickly, she spoke before the other party could answer.

"Morton? You on your way to the hospital? I don't think you just have to protect Alan Tracy. I think Sarah Woodbury is in danger as well."

* * *

Emily and Sarah made their way down the hall, having avoided the elevators.

"Why the stairway?" Sarah asked as they headed down the stairs.

Emily grinned. "I wanted to know how it went with you and Virgil and figured if we blurted anything out about – well, stuff."

"Well, the stuff is fine and so is the situation with Virgil and me."

"Good," Emily laughed. "Then you'll be one of my bridesmaids, right?"

Sarah blinked. "You want me in your wedding party?"

"Of course," Emily beamed. "You'll be my sister, right?"

Freezing, Sarah stared at Emily who began to lose her smile. "I mean," Emily stumbled, "you will be my sister, right?"

"My sister hated me," Sarah whispered. "She tried to kill me."

Emily grasped Sarah's hand. "Holly wasn't your sister. She wasn't family. Family doesn't hurt you or reject you." Sucking in her breath, Emily tightened her grip on Sarah's hand.

Sarah saw the pain in Emily's eyes and knew the blonde was thinking of her own family as well. "Well," Sarah said slowly, "I guess we found a better family, huh?"

When Emily smiled at her and began to move down the stairs again, Sarah found herself smiling as well. Life was good…

Suddenly, just as the pair stepped down to the next level, a hand reached out and grabbed Emily, yanking the petite woman off balance. Emily squeaked in panic as she started to fall. Sarah started forward, trying to grab Emily only to stop at the sight of her new "sister" pulled against a familiar and threatening figure.

"No," Lainie hissed. "Holly wasn't your sister. She was mine. She loved me and I loved her. We were soul mates, destined to be friends forever. You don't get to be happy. You don't get to live the fairy tale. Holly and I deserve to be happy. You don't. And the Tracys don't get you either. I have to make them pay. And you two have to die."

* * *

_**A/N - OK, so between Daria, Nate and Morton (I'm getting a soft spot for him), the noose is tightening on Lainie. But...**_

_**Alan - Oh, no. You are so going to make sure Lainie pays. And what about Kyle.**_

_**CC - Lainie, yes. Kyle? Oh, he is such a useful villain. I may have to keep him around a bit longer.**_

_**Gordon - I can see that. He is in a good position to cause lots of trouble.**_

_**Alan - You're agreeing with her?**_

_**CC - And why are you here? Sorry, but have gotten used to talking to the others.**_

_**Gordon - John and Virgil aren't talking to you at the moment. Something about endangering the loves of their lives.**_

_**CC - PFT. I love the Tracy wives. I may endanger them but I would never kill them. And Sarah is so much stronger this story. **_

_**Alan - Yeah, I noticed. I like it.**_

_**CC - You remember how much Scott was freaking when Kate joined IR in my other series? Yet Virgil didn't. Yet considering she had to be rescued twice in one story? Three if you consider the attempted hit and run. For a rescuer, she needed help a lot.**_

_**Gordon - Good point. I mean in this story, she saved Virgil instead.**_

_**Alan - Well, we'll see...**_

_**CC - In the meantime, sweet tea, and lemon sherbert...Yum...So everyone chill. (At the looks from both brothers, she grins.) And you thought only Gordon could do bad puns. Laters!**_


	23. Chapter 23  Madness from the Darkness

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Not mine. But I did get this chapter to you early. Am I awesome or what?**_

* * *

**Chapter 23 – Madness from the Darkness**

Ana Nevada pulled up to Bay State Medical Center with a grin on her face. She knew – just _knew - _that this could be her ticket to the big time. After all – it was the Tracys. And the Tracys were news.

She thought about the rumor she had heard – and been ready to report – that Virgil Tracy's squeeze, Sarah Woodbury, was a suspect in the attempted murder of Alan Tracy. Ana had even tried to line up an expert on some psych condition, Munchhausen by Proxy, that could explain how the young woman would be deluded enough to poison a fifteen-year-old boy in an attempt to be seen as his savior when she went to visit him.

A call from one of the Tracys' attorneys had been enough to put that tale to bed. Adam Bumper had ensured her editor that it would be the last story they reported and that Tracy Enterprises had been considering acquiring some media outlets. It would be a bad idea to make the acquisition too easy. Because by the time they were done, the Tracys would own her network.

"The rich always get their way," Ana muttered as she discreetly set up her hidden camera and microphone before smiling coldly.

_Well, not this time._

* * *

Sarah felt her blood turn cold and thought the fingers of her left hand would break from the death grip she had on the railing. She forced herself to take a step forward, only to freeze when Lainie pressed a blade closer to Emily's throat.

"Why are you doing this, Lainie?" Sarah quietly asked while she wanted to scream at herself. _"You know why she's doing this! She's a freakin' nut case!"_

"Why?" Lainie hissed. "Why? Because I deserve more. Holly deserves more. We were young, beautiful and should have had the world at our feet. Virgil didn't want to be with me then or now. I could have been perfect as a society wife. I belong with the beautiful people."

"The Tracys have never cared much about that kind of thing," Sarah said in a soft tone. "You know that. Their idea of a good night is a barbeque and a movie on the flat screen TV. Not the opera or society events. The only time they go to any of those things is if it's for the Tracy Foundation."

"I would have changed all that," Lainie said with confidence before her face turned ugly as she glared at Emily.

"And you! John Tracy rejected Holly. He rejected the most perfect, most beautiful girl Bailey, Kansas had ever seen. What makes you so much better?"

"Well," Sarah drawled sardonically, "for one thing, John isn't seventeen anymore. And Emily sure isn't only fourteen."

"A fourteen year old made a play for John?" Emily squeaked out before Lainie tightened her grip once more, causing the chain around Emily's neck to break.

"Please," Sarah snapped. "Holly made a play for any guy she thought could get her out of Bailey. Or at least keep her happy while she was there."

"Holly deserved the world," Lainie spat out.

"Holly," Sarah said coldly, "deserved what she got. She was a cold-blooded sociopathic bitch who murdered our parents and tried to kill me. And don't blame the drugs. Holly started pulling stuff that made the Tracy brothers worry about me before I was ten. I'd like to blame the drugs. I'd like to blame you. But there was just something broken in Holly that couldn't be fixed. And sadly, I can say the same thing about you, Lainie. And when you two met, it was a match made in Hell. A perfect storm of two psychotic minds coming together in an unholy alliance. Now – let Emily go. I won't let you hurt my family any more than you already have."

"Unfortunately," Lainie said in an equally cold voice, "you don't get a choice in the matter. Now – move or John's little bitch here become one dead dog."

Realizing she was helpless while Lainie held the knife to Emily's throat, Sarah moved forward, hoping for a chance – just one chance – to save them both. None of them noticed the delicate necklace that now lay on the landing in the stairwell.

* * *

Shana grinned as she looked over the latest round of blood work.

"Well,' she drawled, "Alan may be worried about the sparkling vampires again, but at least his blood work is looking good. We'll have to see some things for when he wakes up, but I'd have to say he has turned a corner."

Jeff smiled as he softly brushed back his youngest son's bangs. "Hear that, Alan? That means you should wake up now, ok?"

"Give him some time, Dad," Gordon teased, his heart feeling truly lighter for the first time since their latest nightmare had begun. "He's had a rough month or so."

Before anyone could respond, Nathan and Morton burst into the room.

"Where's Sarah Woodbury?" Morton asked.

"Seriously, Dude?" Virgil snapped. "Sarah didn't cause this. She adores Alan."

Nathan shook his head. "She's not a suspect. We think that Elaina Roy may be targeting her as well."

"What makes you think that?" Jeff asked, worried for the girl he had always thought of as a daughter.

"Let's see," Morton drawled. "So far, we are fairly sure Roy poisoned your son, tried to kill the doctor she stole the drugs from, stalked your family using your own computers, got around by falsifying documents to use one of your company cars, stole money from a man she probably murdered first, and tried to frame Ms. Woodbury for at least the poisoning. Oh, and the fact that the woman's own step-mother believed her to be unbalanced and more than one person can recall her threatening to kill Sarah Jane Woodbury as she felt that Ms. Woodbury was responsible for the death of Holly Woodbury, Roy's BFF."

"Sarah responsible for Holly's death?" Scott gasped. "Try the other way around. Well," he conceded. "Holly tried to kill Sarah Jane."

"I know," Morton nodded. "I pulled the file. The fact that she survived was nothing short of a miracle."

Jonah entered the room just then, frowning when he saw the cops there.

"Hey, Tweedle Dee, where's Tweedle Dum?"

Morton snickered. "Meeting with his union rep. He's probably gonna be lucky to keep his pension when this is done. And he would only qualify for thirty percent at this point."

Shaking her head, Shana softly spoke. "Jonah – what is it?"

Sucking in his breath, the security guard quietly said, "Not sure if it's related, Doc. But when we went to move a delivery van, the driver was found inside. His throat had been slashed. And Ian Dennings was on duty when the delivery was made. He said it wasn't the usual driver and he didn't see the delivery person leave. Plus, the uniforms were left in the wrong spot."

"Uniforms? " Nate asked in concern.

"And at least one was missing from the delivery," Jonah confirmed.

"Do we have any photos or descriptions on the guy who made the delivery?" Nate asked.

"It wasn't a guy," Jonah began to explain only for Morton to cut him off.

"Roy," he hissed.

"You can't be sure of that," Shana said only for Nate to disagree.

"Macy, trust me – there is something majorly hinky about that woman."

Gordon's muttered, _"there always was", _was drowned out by Shana's "don't call me Macy!"

The Tracys would have laughed but their concern overrode that. John pulled out his phone only for Shana to stop him.

"You can't use a regular phone in here," the physician explained. Pulling out her own phone, she dialed quickly.

"OK," Morton said after half a heartbeat. "If no one else is gonna ask, I gotta. So why can she?"

"The physicians' phones – especially department heads – are cleared for use around medical equipment," Nate said. When the Tracys and Morton stared at him, he gestured at Shana.

"We do talk about her work sometimes," he defended himself.

As Shana disconnected the call she muttered, "More like he borrows my phone if he is in here." Looking at John, she frowned.

"Emily isn't answering her cell. Her phone should be keyed to be equipment safe, same as mine, so I doubt she would turn it off."

"So who are you calling -" Virgil began only for Shana to hold up a finger in a "wait" sign.

"Maddie," Shana asked anxiously. "Is Dr. Haas there? Oh. No, but if either she or Sarah Woodbury – yes, the redhead who was with the Tracys – come in, tell them to call me ASAP."

Shana hung up her phone, explaining as she slipped it into her pocket.

"Maddie says they never made it to the café."

"Damn," Jeff muttered, looking down at Alan as he worried his lip. Standing, he looked at his sons.

"Virgil, you and Gordon will head down the elevator and start on the ground floor. John, you and I will start on this level, but head down the stairs. Call when you find something. Scott," Jeff said, looking at both his oldest and youngest sons, "you stay here with Alan."

The Tracy sons all nodded and moved to take on their assignments, while Morton looked at Nate in shock.

"Um, they do realize that this is our job, right?"

"You do realize," Scott said calmly from his position beside Alan, "that this is our family. And we take care of our own."

"Come on," Nate said, nudging the other cop. "Let's go talk to the witness. We need to make sure that it really is Elaina Roy."

After the two members of law enforcement had left, Shana looked over at Jonah, still standing by the door.

"Um, Dr. Pierce?" he asked. "What are the odds that it's the same nut job?"

"With my family," Scott muttered, "its Elaina Roy, she's armed and she has my sisters. And God have mercy on her if she hurts them because I know my brothers won't if she has."

"She already hurt Alan," Shana mentioned, trying to force down her fear for her friend.

"Which is one reason why Dad left me here," Scott said reasonably. "Because he knows I am already prepared to send her straight to Hell where she belongs. And the threat to Sarah and Emily is why Dad made sure to separate John and Virgil. Tracys," he glowered, "are not reasonable when the ones we love are threatened."

As Jonah prepared to position himself outside the room in order to protect the helpless Alan Tracy – or any threat from Scott Tracy – he couldn't help but almost feel sorry for Elaina Roy.

Almost.

* * *

Daria drove up interstate 95, at a speed that would make her partner freak out…

If Greg Sanders could bring himself to open his eyes.

"You do know there are speed limits," Greg muttered.

Grinning, Daria didn't even spare a glance. "I prefer to think of those as guidelines."

"I swear, Morgandorfer," the agent muttered. "Slow down or I tell Tony."

"OK, first off," Daria said reasonably even as she weaved between an eighteen wheeler and a min-van. "If you are going to threaten to tell the husband, at least use my married name. I haven't used Morgandorfer in ages. Second – Tony will understand. It's Woody."

"I can't believe you forgot Sarah Jane Woodbury was Woody," Sanders snickered.

"Like you remembered?" Daria snapped.

"Hey, my husband wasn't talking about her constantly last summer."

"Something I am sure your girlfriend is happy about," Daria grinned, her good mood restored at the zinger.

"Seriously," Greg said. "You remember everyone. What's up?"

Daria frowned, sparing her partner a quick glance as she slowed for a toll booth. Once through, she finally answered with a sigh.

"I swear. Pregnancy kills brain cells."

"So," Greg teased. "Friends don't let friends get pregnant?"

Daria gave a feral grin. "The director wants my opinion on who your partner will be while I'm on maternity leave. Keep talking and I'll keep thinking."

Knowing his partner's twisted sense of humor, Greg Sanders quickly decided that silence truly was golden.

* * *

John was silent as he and his father moved throughout the levels of the hospital. They were in the stairwell, heading from the third floor to the second when Jeff finally spoke up.

"John?" At the slight stiffening of his second-born son's head, the Tracy patriarch knew John had heard him, so he continued.

"Son, you have to keep calm. You -"

"Were you calm when you knew the avalanche had happened in the area of our cabin? Were you calm when Scott and I told you that mom and Allie had been right in the avalanche's path?"

"You can't assume the worst, John."

Whipping around, John managed to keep his balance as he glared at his father. "Why not? Dad, we are good people. Hell, some even call us heroes. We work hard; we sacrifice for others…Is it so much to think we deserve a chance at happiness? Not a promise, not a guarantee – just a chance. But it seems like every time we try, something terrible has to happen."

Jeff was silent for a moment before he answered. "Your Grandma used to say that God never gives us more than we can handle. When I lost your mother -"

"When you lost Mom, you'd had fifteen years and five sons with her," John argued. "I haven't even gotten one Christmas with Emily and no children yet. I – I just can't lose her, Dad."

John turned and started to move down the stairs when he stopped abruptly. Bending down, he picked something up.

"John?"

The blonde stood up, his head bent and his right hand clenching something as he turned. When John finally looked up at his father, he took Jeff's hand and pressed something into it. Jeff looked down and was appalled to see the locket he had so long ago given to Lucy lay there, a locket he had last seen around Emily's slender neck. The chain was broken and if you looked closely, you could see a golden blonde hair caught in the chain – and a spot of blood where the links had been torn asunder.

Father and son were silent as they moved to check out the second floor.

* * *

Virgil was silent as he looked carefully over the first floor. There were so many places to hide and yet no sign of any of the three women they were looking for. As they paused in front of a beautiful fountain where you could toss in coins to be collected for the Children's Miracle Network, Gordon put his hand on his brother's arm.

"Virg? You ok?"

Sighing, Virgil ran a hand through his hair, not realizing how much he looked like their oldest brother at that moment.

"Gordy, I am so far from OK it isn't funny. I mean, I just got Sarah back. I can't lose her."

Worrying his lip, Virgil turned to look at his younger brother.

"I keep thinking about Prom Night. The whole night, all I could think was "I'd rather be with Sarah Jane". You know what my best memory of that night was? Coming home and spending almost an hour talking with Sarah. She and I sat on that old porch swing and just sat and talked. Then she got up and walked home. I stood on that back porch and watched her walk all the way to her house. When she got to the door, Sarah turned and waved. Then she went inside."

Virgil sighed. "That was the last I saw of Sarah Jane until a couple of months ago. When I walked into the fire station and she came into the vehicle bay – Gordy, I felt like I had come home. I realize now that she was what I had been missing. Nothing – not music, art or anything – can make me feel complete the way she can. I can't lose that."

Gordon nodded, trying to hide his concern. Part of it was for his brothers and how they wouldn't be able to deal if either lost the woman they loved. Part was for those women, one who he had always loved as a sister and one that he had grown to love as a sister.

And part was for himself. Because as much as he cared about Lisa, he wondered if he felt that kind of absolute devotion to the woman – or if he was capable of it. For as much as Virgil was terrified now, how anything less than that kind of absolute love and devotion just didn't seem as satisfying to Gordon.

Sighing himself, Gordon nudged his brother. "C'mon, Virg – let's – get -"

"Gordon," Virgil began in frustration. "What is your major malfunc -"

Virgil joined his brother in horrified silence as they looked up through a glass ceiling to an atrium above. They could see Emily – way too close to Lainie Roy, armed with a knife. Where the hell was Sarah?

Without a word, the brothers sprinted towards the stairs, looking for a way up to the atrium.

* * *

Sarah continued to glare at Loony – um, Lainie.

"Do you honestly think you will get away with this?" she finally snapped.

Lainie laughed coldly. "Holly said you would try and talk me out of this. She knows how manipulative you are. Look at how you've got the Tracys twisted around your finger."

Sarah was ready to snap that if anyone knew about being manipulative, that would be Holly, when Emily spoke in a soft voice.

"Holly Woodbury is dead. I mean, she is dead, right, Sarah?"

"ARGH!" Lainie screamed as she threw Emily to the ground. "Don't you say that! Stop saying that! Holly wouldn't leave me. She's always with me. Just like she promised."

Sarah watched horrified as Lainie began to swing her arm down, moving the blade closer to Emily. She knew she couldn't reach them in time…

* * *

**A/N - So I update early only to leave you with a horrific cliffies. Don't worry - I only kill my OCs.**

**_But, the voices in my head whisper, Emily is an OC._**

**Hmm...So you best review and make me happy.**


	24. Ch24 Shadows Dispelled by Heaven's Light

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimers - If I have said it once, I've said it two dozen times (literally) - I do not own the Thunderbirds. Also, I do not own the song "The Rose".**_

_**Oh and Sam1 AND Sammygirl1963 said the final scene needs a diabetic warning.**_

* * *

**Chapter 24 Shadows Dispelled by Heaven's Light**

Emily threw up her arms in self-defense, knowing how useless it would be but acting on pure instincts. Flashes from her years working on trauma patients, including many with knife wounds, popped into her head.

"Oh, God, someone help me," she whispered.

The atrium was a thing of beauty, enclosed on three sides with glass. When Alan Tracy had last been in the Medical Center, his family had taken him here because of the level of security and privacy still allowed him to look over the garden and granted him some peace. Emily could only irrationally think that if she had to die, at least she had a good view.

A sudden scent of lilacs filled the air and a gust of wind knocked Lainie off-balance. Sarah thought she saw something off to the side, almost standing in front of Emily, but decided this was the opportunity she had been waiting for since Loony Lainie had jumped them in the stairwell.

When Lainie looked at Sarah, she saw a thinner, slightly taller version of the girl she had teased and harassed in Kansas. But unbeknown to the disturbed woman, Sarah was much more than that. The Boston Fire Department had a "strength" requirement of being able to perform ten reps of two hundred pounds. This assured the paramedic had good upper body strength that her slender form belied. Sarah had also taken to running as she recovered from the injuries she had suffered in the fire, and had actually competed in both the Boston and New York Marathons, and had placed in the top ten percent for women in both races. This showed speed, endurance and lower body strength.

As she dove at Lainie, Sarah twisted her body to avoid the knife, wincing when it glanced at her upper arm. Grabbing Lainie's wrist in her hands, Sarah twisted it as hard as she could, grimacing in satisfaction when the woman screamed in pain while dropping the knife.

Pushing Lainie away, Sarah then swung out a powerful right hook (taught to her by Scott Tracy) and split the woman's lip.

"That's for making me miserable with my nut-job sister."

A quick uppercut using her left hand (thanks again, Scott) knocked the charging Lainie back and Sarah hissed, "That's for making a play for Virgil when he made it clear he was with me."

Grabbing Lainie by the hair, Sarah knocked her into a glass wall. "That's for threatening my family. And in case you missed it – that would be the Tracys."

Throwing the woman to the ground, Sarah kicked her in the rear (that move was courtesy Gordon) and growled, "And if you have any brains, you'll stay down. Because I'd as soon kill you for hurting my Baby. That would be Alan, in case you missed it."

Walking over to Emily, Sarah reached down and helped her to her feet.

"You ok?"

Emily breathed out and nodded. "Yes, I believe so. Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Sarah grinned. "Growing up Tracy. Punching from Scott and ass whumping from Gordon."

"And the wall toss?"

Grinning still, Sarah shrugged. "You gotta meet Jeannie Bates some day."

Emily was about to say something when she looked over Sarah's shoulders – not an easy thing to do with the more than half a foot height difference – and screamed, "Sarah, look out!"

Proving she wasn't too bright, Lainie had grabbed a heavy chair and with the strength of madness, drew it back and made to swing it at Sarah's head.

Sarah quickly pushed Emily back down and dropped to the floor next to her, while swinging her left leg out in a sweeping motion. Catching Lainie's ankles with her own, the other woman fell backwards, the heavy piece of furniture slamming into the glass overlooking the fountain below, causing the usually strong glass to shatter. The chair – and Lainie – fell through the floor, and landed in the fountain with a splash.

Not to mention a few screams.

Glancing over at Sarah, Emily asked shakily, "And that move?"

"Believe it or not," Sarah gasped as they got up, "Alan."

Looking down, the women saw their former captor lying in the pool below, blood turning the water red. Instinct overrode anger and they rushed down to help…

* * *

Virgil and Gordon were swiftly making their way up the stairs leading to the atrium when a loud crashing noise followed by screams from more than one person caused them to freeze.

Gordon could see that his brother was torn between running towards the screams to render aid and continuing on to the atrium. The red-haired Tracy, however, didn't hesitate and was about to push past Virgil when Sarah and Emily rushed past them.

"Sarah?" Virgil asked in surprise even as Gordon gasped in relief, "Emily"

The two women barely nodded at them as the continued down the stairs. Looking at each other in shock, the brothers shrugged and began to follow.

* * *

Jeff and John were hurrying along the hallway, keeping an eye on any areas where someone could be. John was frustrated to realize how many nooks and crannies there were in your average hospital.

"We're not going to find them in time," John cried out in frustration.

"Yes, we will," Jeff tried to placate his second son, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, only for John to shrug it off.

"What's the old saying, Dad? Bad things happen to good people? We should be the living proof of that," John said disdainfully. "We aren't saints, but you raised us to be good people. We work hard and think of others, often placing them above ourselves. But we still have lousy things happen to us."

Jeff was at a loss of how to comfort his son when a loud crashing noise drew their attention down the hallways. Hearing voices crying out then raise in panicky tones, the two men began to race down the hallway.

They reached the atrium they had brought Alan to so often when he was hospitalized here the last time, ignoring the sign declaring the atrium was closed due to maintenance and repairs. Entering the room, they were horrified to see a gaping hole in the floor where heavy duty glass usually allowed a spectacular view of a fountain below.

Edging as close as he dared to the hole, John could only see a blonde body, dressed in scrubs, floating in the bloody water of the fountain. With his heart in his throat, John whirled around and ran back out of the room, heading to the fountain below, Jeff close on his heels…

* * *

"OK," Sarah grumbled as she climbed into the fountain's pool, getting splashed by the water that was still coming out. Glancing over her shoulder, Sarah made eye contact with a middle-aged man in a maintenance department uniform.

"Can you get this thing turned off?" she yelled. The man ran to comply and returned a moment later.

"I radioed it in and it should -" the maintenance man stilled when the water did before he continued.

"I also have people coming to close off the area."

Sarah nodded as she knelt next to Lainie. Emily was kneeling on the other side, glaring at the fallen woman.

"You are so lucky Shana insisted I change into scrubs," Emily grumbled. "If you had messed up my dry-clean only skirt, I wouldn't be held responsible."

Sarah snickered as they worked together to try and not move Lainie while still making sure that she didn't drown. An orderly drew Sarah's attention when he spoke.

"I brought an ER cart. Should have some supplies you need."

Emily smiled at the man. "Thank – Bill," she said after seeing his ID badge. Looking over to the maintenance worker still standing near the fountain, she asked, "Can this pool be drained?"

The maintenance man nodded before kneeling next to the pool and unlocking a small box. After pressing a few buttons, the water began to quickly drain. Emily and Sarah kept their hands on Lainie to try and keep her as still as possible while this happened.

Once Lainie was on the tiled bottom of the pool, surrounded by coins, Emily reached for the supplies and pulled out a neck brace. Once it was secured around Lainie's neck, she once more checked the pulse even as she said to the orderly, "Can you get me a back board and a gurney? She's pretty badly cut up."

The orderly nodded and took off at a run.

"What the hell are you doing?" a doctor came running up to the scene at that moment, screeching all the way.

Virgil spoke up, having gone unnoticed by most even as Gordon was helping security close the scene.

"The redhead is a Boston paramedic and the blonde is an Emergency Medical Specialist. You probably couldn't find two more qualified people to be treating an accident victim."

Sarah shot a grateful smile to her boyfriend before continuing following Emily's directions. "Usually I get these instructions over the radio," she muttered, making Emily chuckle which died when the doctor spoke once more.

"We have some excellent doctors here, including one of the best Emergency Medical Specialists in the country."

"Yes, yes you do," Emily agreed even as she and Sarah secured Lainie to a backboard and moved to lift her, nodding when the orderly and Virgil helped them get the nut job – um, patient – onto the gurney. "Shana Pierce. We went to school together, I was her maid of honor and, much to her mother-in-law's annoyance, I am the godmother of her son, Jared. So yes, I would appreciate it if you paged her and have Shana meet us in the ED."

Moving swiftly, the orderly, a paramedic, a visiting physician and a by-stander/ unknown International Rescue member began to quickly move down the hallway, following the signs that read, "Emergency Department", even as a page started overhead.

"Dr. Pierce to the Emergency Room, STAT. Trauma Team Alpha to the Emergency Room, STAT. Dr. Pierce to the Emergency Room, STAT. Trauma Team Alpha to the Emergency Room, STAT."

* * *

Scott Tracy smiled as he softly talked to Alan, trying to gently encourage his little brother to wake up.

Shana had been going over Alan's latest report and was about to say something to Scott when the overhead page could be heard.

"Dr. Pierce to the Emergency Room, STAT. Trauma Team Alpha to the Emergency Room, STAT. Dr. Pierce to the Emergency Room, STAT. Trauma Team Alpha to the Emergency Room, STAT."

"What now?" Shana muttered. "I so should have gone into plastic surgery. They have normal hours, you know?"

Scott grinned as the dark-haired woman ran out of the room, grumbling all the way.

"She loves it and she knows it," Scott whispered to Alan's sleeping form. "She'd be bored to tears in a so-called normal job."

Just then, Nurse Allison Fox opened the door and leaned in. "Shana said to let you know if you need anything, I'll be at the desk. Just call, alright?"

Scott nodded in thanks, content to sit next to Alan and brush back his bangs even as Allison left again.

When the door opened once more, Scott didn't glance up. "We're fine, honest,"

"Well, I'm glad to know that," a strange voice spoke, startling Scott who jumped up and took a defensive position in front of Alan.

Tomo Wanatabee stood in the doorway before letting the door shut behind him. He set down a messenger bag in the chair Jeff had been in earlier before chuckling.

"You have to be Scott," Tomo laughed. "I mean, I don't know if I ever met you when we were younger. Virgil and Gordon, yes. But not you or John. Well, I met John when he came to Wharton's last semester for Alan's birthday." Seeing Scott's confusion, he explained.

"My Dad was Ryuu Wanatabee, he worked for your father."

Scott nodded and relaxed slightly. He had never met Mr. Wanatabee's son, but remembered the boy went to Wharton's with Alan.

"Of course, Tomo, right?"

"To most people," Tomo laughed again. "To Boy Wonder there – Tom. But he's the only one."

Tomo pointed to the bag. "I brought Alan's schoolbag. We put his bags – they were packed already – in John's rental car and I drove it over here. Here's the keys," he said, tossing the keys with the tag marking the rental company's name on it clearly visible, grinning when Scott caught them one-handed.

"Well, there's two out of three," Tomo said, chuckling once more at Scott's puzzled look. Raising his hand, he counted off.

"Hopelessly over-protective big brother and a former baseball player. Just need to see you fly now."

"I take it Alan's mentioned me?" Scott asked wryly.

"Man, just try and get him to shut up about his family," Tomo grinned. "We don't mind, though. A lot of the guys – well, their family just can't be bothered. To tell the truth, a few students are even kinda jealous. Alan thinks of his family as his heroes and we can all tell how much you all love him. He's a good kid."

Smiling at his brother, Scott nodded. "He is."

Nodding at Alan, Tomo shrugged. "Gotta go. Tell Alan to zap me an e-mail when he is up to it." He began to leave before he stopped.

"Oh, and there's a package in the bag. We finally finished Alan's little project. I think it was something of your mother's."

When Tomo was gone, Scott's curiosity got the better of him. Opening the bag, Scott found a small package among the books and school supplies. Reaching in, Scott almost dropped the item in surprise.

It was their mother's music box. The first thing Jeff Tracy had ever given his then girlfriend, Lucy Keith. It had been put away in the first few weeks after her death and Jeff had been upset to see it had been damaged when they moved to the island but couldn't bear to simply throw it away. The tiny nick-knack had been put into storage with other personal effects of their late mother.

Alan must have found it but why would he have it here? Opening the tiny box, Scott saw that some of the gears were new and the wooden box had been skillfully repaired, so much so that it would take careful observation to realize it had been a repair job. How had the students managed to fix it, managing such detailed work? He would have to ask Alan about it later.

Twisting the tiny key in the back, Scott felt a lump settle in his throat as the music began to play.

Sitting back down, Scott could recall watching his mother brush her blonde hair and play the music box. Inevitably, one or more of the boys would come closer and Lucy would cuddle her "angels" and softly sing the song.

_When the night has been too lonely_

_And the road has been too long_

_And you think that love is only _

_for the lucky and the strong_

_Just remember in the winter_

_Far beneath the bitter snow_

_Lies the seed_

_That with the sun's love, in the spring_

_Becomes the rose_

Scott didn't even realize he was singing along with the tinkling music, gently holding Alan's hand, lost in a memory. But as the song faded, he heard a far sweeter sound.

"Scott?"

Blinking, Scott looked and saw his baby brother's bright blue eyes, regarding him drowsily. Fighting back tears, the oldest Tracy son smiled.

"Hiya, Sprout."

* * *

_**A/N - There. All better.**_

_**Alan - All better? You think having me wake up to a lulaby makes everything all better?**_

_**CC - Well, it could have been Gordon singing.**_

_**Alan - Oooh. Good point.**_

_**Gordon - I resemble that remark!**_

_**CC - Hello, Fish face!**_

_**Alan (snickers) - Hey, she likes you. You have a girlfriend, don't you?**_

_**CC (mutters) - For now.**_

_**Gordon (glaring at her suspiciously) - Just what does that mean?**_

_**CC - What? Oh, nothing.**_

_**Alan (sighing) - Ok. So what now? Kyle comes after me, Lainie escapes, what?**_

_**CC - Actually, you will be heading home in a few chapters. Two, maybe three chapters and an epilogue. Then I have a one shot for Sammygirl1963's birthday in August - she happily accepts Alan Tracy or Sam Winchester whumpage or cold cash - The I will get started on the next major story. And yes, Kate will be there.**_

_**Gordon (signing off-key) - Scotty's get laid, Scotty's getting laid.**_

_**CC - And I'm telling that you are talking about S-E-X around the kid.**_

_**Alan - I'm not that young.**_

_**CC - My daughter will be 15 in November. You are so a kid.**_

_**Alan - OK, fine. (huffs) But what about Lainie and Kyle.**_

_**CC - Um, that would explain the chapters BEFORE the epilogue.**_

_**Gordon - You'll have to forgive him - he is a blonde.**_

_**Alan - So why is it in our family, blondes are ABOVE average intelligence?**_

_**Gordon - Luck of the draw?**_

_**CC - You'll be lucky if John and Alan don't team up to get revenge. I think they still need payback from the Walnut Incident. Hey - let me ask the readers: Any suggestions for what the blonde Tracys should do to the redhead?**_

_**Alan (watches as Gordon passes out cold) - You asked fellow ff people - many fellow writers - to plot revenge against Gordon?**_

_**CC - Oh, yeah. Why do you think he fainted? (pulls out some ice cream?) Mint Chocolate Chip? It'll be great for today - kinda warm. As for everyone else - REVIEW...**_


	25. Chapter 25 Light Triumphant

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Do not own Thunderbirds. 'Nuff said.**_

* * *

**Chapter 25 Light Triumphant**

John ran into the open area surrounding the fountain, only for one of the security guards to put an arm out.

"Sorry, sir," the guard said in a firm but polite tone, "no access."

"You don't understand," John said frantically. "My fiancée -"

"Is alright," Gordon interrupted as he approached his father and brother. Gesturing to the guards, he nodded. "This is my brother, Dr. Haas' fiancé."

"OK," the guard said as he shook his head. "Was that the leggy hot redhead or the petite hot blonde?"

"The blonde," Gordon said cheerfully, ignoring his brother's glare. "The redhead is dating my other brother, the one who was helping with the gurney."

"Damn," the man gave an appreciative whistle. "Where do you find women like that?"

"They were prizes in a Happy Meal," John growled.

Jeff rolled his eyes. Where did his son get such a possessive streak? As the scent of lilac wrapped around him, Jeff could almost hear Lucy's laughter.

"_Gee – I wonder? Where DID they get that from?"_

Shaking his head, Jeff smiled. "So Sarah and Emily are alright?"

"Not only alright," Gordon answered with a touch of awe in his voice. "But when we caught up to them, they were giving emergency medical care to Loony – I mean, Lainie Roy."

"I take that to mean Elaina Roy has been apprehended?" a new voice interjected.

The Tracys turned to see Nate Matthews and Albert Morton enter the foyer, Morton looking shocked at the blood and glass that littered the pool of the fountain. Glancing up, the cop shook his head.

_How could anyone survive that?_

"You could say that," Gordon shrugged. Turning to Nate he explained.

"Virgil and I were about here when we happened to look up. We couldn't clearly see Sarah, but we could see Lainie threatening Emily with a knife. Emily was on the floor, her hands in front of her face," Gordon said, throwing his hands up in demonstration.

"So we looked for some stairs and got up there. I'd say we made it there in less than ninety seconds. But by the time we were almost to the top, we had heard a loud crash, some screams and then Emily and Sarah ran past us. They headed straight for down here and climbed into the fountain."

"You're saying that _after _she apparently tried to hurt or kill them, Sarah Woodbury and Emily Haas tried to save their attacker?" Morton asked in disbelief. "What kind of people does that make them?"

Nate just smiled. "That makes them better people than most of us ever could or will be. Come on, let's see if we still have a suspect to arrest."

With that he led the way down to the ER. Having heard the page for his wife and her trauma team, Nate was sure that the two women would now be available for some questions. He wanted this over with. He had worse things to deal with.

Like – sigh – calling back his mother.

* * *

"Hiya, Sprout," Scott said with a gentle smile that seemed reserved for his youngest brother.

"Scotty?" Alan blearily asked. "What happened?"

"It's a long story, Alan," Scott soothed. "We'll talk about it later. For now – how do you feel?"

Alan sighed. "Like I went ten rounds with Mullion and lost."

Scott chuckled, relieved that Alan's sense of humor was still in tact.

"Where is everyone?" Alan asked, forcing himself to look around.

"They stepped out for a minute," Scott said as he pressed the Nurse Call button. "Don't worry, they'll be back soon."

As Scott continued to gently speak with Alan, catching him up on news that wouldn't upset him – so no mention of Loony Lainie. He had just spoken of Virgil and Sarah getting back together – which had Alan grinning tiredly – when Nurse Fox came in.

"Well, Alan," the nurse cheerfully greeted the teenager. "So Sleeping Beauty awakes, huh?"

Alan frowned, more at Scott's chuckles than at Allison's comment. He finally glared at his oldest brother.

"You'll notice which brother she gave that particular description to, hmm?"

Allison laughed as the frowns switched from one Tracy brother to the other.

"I'll page Dr. Pierce and let her know you're awake, Alan," the nurse grinned as she playfully ruffled his hair. "She's in the middle of an emergency in the ED but I'm sure she will be up here as soon as she can."

Scott looked up, concerned.

"Um, Nurse Fox -"

"Scott," Allison said with a sigh. "I told you last time you could call me Allison."

"Fine," Scott sighed back, ignoring the comment from the older woman. He knew it was just her being friendly but his father would never approve of him calling a woman with a son almost his age by her first name.

"Anyhow, um, do you know if Shana's emergency had, well, was it -" Scott trailed off, not sure what he wanted to say, especially in front of Alan.

"I don't know," Allison admitted. "But I will let you know if I find out anything." With that said, she left the brothers alone.

"Scott," Alan said slowly. "Is there something I should know?"

"When I know, you'll know, Sprout," Scott responded.

Yawning, Alan lay back against his pillow. "I better. And – _yawn – _don't call me – _yawn – _Sprout."

As Alan drifted back off to sleep, Scott simply smiled.

"Whatever you say, Sprout," he grinned as tucked Alan's blanket back around the sleeping teenager. "Whatever you say."

* * *

Jeff, John and Gordon found themselves forgotten in the hallway but with the hustle and bustle of the emergency department, they still had a clear line of sight.

Virgil, still assisting the orderly who had helped carry Lainie to the ED, stole furtive glances at Sarah, admitting to himself that he was impressed. The slender red head had fought a madwoman to protect herself and Emily only to jump into action to save the lunatic's life. He wondered if he could have been that big.

Thoughts of this reminded Virgil of the incident of Alan with the Hood at the Bank of London. After multiple attempts to kill the Tracy Baby, it was the villain of the piece who had found himself in need of rescue – and by Alan, no less!

Glancing over to his father, the middle Tracy son was sure the man was recalling the same incident. And while the older Tracy brothers had found it traumatic enough to view the security footage, Jeff had seen it up close and personal.

_Having regained his footing – while the Hood had lost his, now clinging to the metal walkway just as Alan had moments later – Alan ignored the villain's taunts._

"_I don't want to save you," the teen said blankly, causing the villain to show a touch of panic, before reaching down to grab the older man._

"_But it's what we do."_

Virgil was sure he was looking as proud of Sarah as their father had been of Alan. To be willing to rescue someone who had tried to kill you…True and honorable courage in action.

"So," Nate asked from behind the Tracy men, watching as Shana ran into the room and began treating Lainie. "Are we going to be able to talk to the suspect any time soon?"

Sarah – having straightened up and stepping aside for the Emergency Specialist – gratefully took the towels Virgil handed her as she approached the group in the hallway. She made sure the blood was off her hands and was tossing the soiled towels into a nearby hamper before she answered.

"Lainie will probably live. She has damage to both hands, severe facial lacerations. There is probably nerve damage in both the hands and her face due to the amount and velocity of the cuts. She'll need a full set of x-rays, but it looks like she got lucky. The only broken bones appear to be her cheekbones, probably her nose is broken as well."

"So," Daria said as she approached from behind. "The case is wrapped up?"

"Agent Delgado," Sarah said in surprise.

"Woody," Daria said gently. "You hung around with my husband enough last summer. I think you can call me Daria."

Just as the Tracys who had met Daria and her partner were introducing them to the Tracys who hadn't – pretty much just Virgil – a new voice was heard.

"So – the FBI agent in charge as well as local police are in a close relationship with the Tracy family, thus assuring that the chief suspect in the attempted murder of Alan Tracy escapes justice while an unconscious woman will be accused?"

The Tracys – and the others – all turned in shock. Ana Nevada stood in the hallway, a handheld recorder ready to catch every word.

"Ms. -?" Nate began only for John to answer.

Well, growled.

"Nevada. Ana Nevada"

"Ana Nevada?" Morton asked. "You gotta be kidding. Sounds like a porn star name."

"Nope," Virgil glared. "An adult film star has higher morals."

Nate sighed. "The police will have a full statement later. But the gist will be that an individual – a suspect in multiple crimes in two states – has been tied to an attempt on Alan Tracy's life. The young woman questioned by the Springfield Police Department has been completely exonerated."

"And," Daria cheerfully said as she entered. "If you try and say otherwise, you'll be guilty of slander. And I am sure the Tracys would happily assist in suing your scrawny ass off."

"Daria?" Emily asked in amazement as she approached the group even as Morton recognized the voice and matched it to what Sarah had called the newcomer.

"Agent Delgado?" Morton asked, holding out a hand. When Daria shook it, Morton questioned in surprise.

"I know you said you were heading right up. But you should have never gotten here this fast from New York."

"Tell me about it," Sanders muttered.

Daria grinned at him before turning back to Ana.

"Now, Nevada, I am pretty sure that the rules here are the same as most medical facilities. No media personnel without permission." As she stepped closer to the journalist, Daria's nose wrinkled in discomfort.

Sarah stepped forward. "Listen, lady – a term I use loosely – I love the Tracys. They are my family." Taking Virgil's hand, she squeezed it tightly. "And I will legally be part of the family soon."

Glaring at Ana, she raised her chin. "People like you used to intimidate me. But you try spending a few years running into burning buildings? Not much scares you after that. You want a fight? Bring it on."

"That's our girl," Emily murmured to John, slipping an arm around him, smiling when he pulled her in close.

Daria started to say something before placing a hand on her stomach. "Oh, my God," she groaned. "What is that awful smell?"

Emily shrugged as Shana approached the group.

"Pick one," Emily said. "Cleaners, blood, other chemicals…"

"No," Daria groaned, glaring at Ana. "Are you wearing musk?"

"Yes," Ana said slowly. "Why is that -"

"Lady," Sanders said quickly, recognizing the look on his partner's face. "Get out of here fast."

"Why should I?" Ana snapped. "Freedom of the press -"

The reporter's next words were cut off as Daria lost her lunch all over Ana's shoes.

"These are Christian Louboutin shoes!" the reporter screeched. "They retail for over one thousand dollars!"

"One," Daria gasped as she gratefully accepted a glass of water and a wash cloth from a nurse as the group moved aside while an orderly began clean up. "You paid too much. I have a pair like that from JC Penney and I only paid forty bucks. Second, you shouldn't be here. And finally, baby doesn't like certain smells and musk based perfumes are definitely one of them."

"You're pregnant?" Sarah asked in delight. "Oh, Tony must be thrilled."

"Proverbially peacock," Sanders confirmed as he guided his partner to a chair. Looking over at Morton and Matthews, he shrugged. "I have all of Daria's notes. Why don't we brainstorm? And Daria?" he said quickly when the other agent looked annoyed. "Why don't you talk to the Tracys since they already know you?"

"Sounds good," Daria groaned and the three men walked away as Daria took a few deep breathes before sitting up straight. Accepting a hand up from Jeff, she began to follow the Tracys before looking back at Ana.

"Are you still here? You really ought to go," she grumbled before giving a nasty grin.

"If only to change your shoes."

Ana glared at her and started to step forward when Shana stepped between the family – and one FBI agent – and returned the reporter's glare.

"I'm going to say this once," Shana said coolly. "Get – out – of – my – hospital."

"You don't own this place," Ana screeched.

"Disregarding that a Pierce has worked here since the place was founded?" Shana grinned. "Well, those nice big security officers behind you are ready to drag you out and toss you on the sidewalk if you don't choose to move on your own."

Ana glanced back at the two security guards who had approached behind her. In a regrettable decision, the reported stepped forward. The guards quickly grabbed her arms and began to yank the woman, frowning as people looked at her in disgust at the smell emanating from her once expensive shoes.

"I'll get you for this," she grumbled.

"And you're little dog too," one guard snickered to the other.

Sadly, Ana Nevada didn't get the joke.

* * *

"OK," Gordon said as they got off the elevator. Daria had regained much of her color and had explained what had happened in the case so far. John and Virgil had put protective arms around their fiancées while Jeff was seriously considering mandatory psych evaluations for all employees.

"So, I get that Loony Lainie was after Alan for some imagined slight and wanted to kill Emily and Sarah because they were getting what she wanted – a Tracy. Which," the red-head grinned, "makes perfect sense if it was me. But music-man and space-case?"

Emily and Sarah both cuffed Gordon upside the head, saving his brothers the bother.

"What I can't figure out is how she got to Alan at Wharton's?" Gordon said. "She had to have inside help."

"I arranged to have someone head over to Wharton's to ask around," Daria said. "We'll start with anyone who had access to their mail system."

"Sounds good," Jeff agreed. "But I am pulling Alan out for the rest of the semester. He can be home schooled until the New Year. Maybe even for good."

"Dad," John said carefully, knowing how protective the man – heck, the whole family – could be of the Tracy baby. "Alan loves it at Wharton's. He may not want to leave."

"John," Shana spoke up. "I think your father is right. Alan should take it easy for a few weeks. Surely Wharton's could make arrangements for Alan to work from the Island, right?"

Jeff nodded. "Fine. But if they haven't found an answer by Christmas, Alan is not heading back there. I won't send Alan somewhere he isn't safe."

"We'll find the party responsible, Mr. Tracy," Daria said confidently, hoping she could meet the challenge. But unless it was a total sociopath acting as Elaina Roy's co-conspirator, it shouldn't be that hard.

Nurse Fox to the group before anyone could say anything else.

"Dr. Pierce, did you get my page?"

Shana frowned. "No. I just sent the nut-job, um, I mean, patient to radiology than a consult with Dr. Duncan." Looking over at Emily, she explained.

"Teddy Duncan is the best reconstructive surgeon at Bay State."

"He better be a miracle worker," Sarah grimaced, recalling the severe damage to Lainie's once-beautiful face.

"She's good," Shana acknowledged. "But I am fairly sure Ms. Roy will still have a lot of scarring. Not much that can be done in her case. But she should at least pass for human again once Teddy is done."

_"Was she ever?"_ Gordon muttered before the nurse spoke again.

"Oh, it's not about – um," Allison stumbled before grinning. "No, it's about Alan Tracy."

The entire family froze; worried that something had happened while they were gone.

"He woke up," the nurse beamed as she revealed that to the group.

Jeff was the first to shake off his stupor, running the rest of the distance to Alan's room.

* * *

Scott looked up as his father entered the room, a soft smile of the oldest son's face.

"He woke up, Dad," Scott said quietly, relinquishing the chair closest to Alan's bed.

Jeff happily took the seat, picking up Alan's hand in his left, while brushing back the teenager's bangs with his right.

"Alan? I know you're tired, Allie, but I really need to see you for a moment."

Shana and Emily had moved to the other side of the bed, checking the monitors while giving Alan a quick once-over. John, Virgil, Gordon and Sarah all clustered at the foot of the bed, as anxious to finally see Alan awake as their father. It seemed as if the family was collectively holding their breath.

With a soft sigh, Alan stirred and opened his eyes, smiling at his father.

"Hey, Dad," he quietly said. "Sorry for the fuss."

"Not to worry, Alan," Jeff said in return. "We were getting kinda bored. And Onaha has started on her pre-holiday routine. You know how scary that can be."

All of the Tracy sons chuckled at that.

"I saw Mom," Alan said quietly. The rest of the family startled at that.

"I wasn't imaging it, Dad," the teenager firmly said. "She was with me."

Jeff swallowed convulsively, aware how close to death Alan had to come to have seen his mother. Looking at the rest of his family's pale faces, he could see that they had come to the same conclusion. So it was odd to look back at Alan and see the smile on the boy's face.

"I like this memory of Mom so much better," Alan yawned. "And she gave such great – _yawn – _hugs. And – _yawn – _every time I smell lilac, I'll think of her now."

The Tracys and Sarah froze, recalling how the late Lucy Tracy had always smelled of lilacs. But looking at each other, they realized no one had ever mentioned that to Alan.

Emily also looked startled, not so much for Alan's revelations but recalling the strong scent of lilacs that had occurred just before Lainie had been knocked off balance by the sudden wind in the atrium.

The wind in a room with no windows that opened and no direct access to the outside.

Fingering the necklace that John had returned to her, Emily smiled. She would definitely have to get that fixed as soon as possible. After all, she now knew that her future mother-in-law did approve of her. Or at least, liked her enough to save her life.

As Alan drifted back off, Jeff smiled. "Go back to sleep, Alan. We'll be here when you wake up."

Alan's eyes closed once more, comforted in the knowledge that his whole family would be there for him. Noticing a slight smell of lilacs, he smiled.

His whole family really was there.

* * *

_**A/N - Wrapping up this story. Thought it was only another chapter after this but I will do at least another and the epilogue. No more major traumas...**_

_**yeah, sure.**_


	26. Chapter 26 A New Day Dawning

**Light and Shadows **

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Do not own Thunderbirds. But if I catch anyone using my OCs without permission - AGAIN - IT WILL NOT BE PRETTY. THEY ARE MINE. I TAKE THAT EXTREMELY PERSONALLY. AND I WILL FIND OUT.**_

* * *

**Chapter 26 – A New Day Dawning**

In comparison to the past few days, the next morning seemed almost anti-climatic to the Tracy Family.

Emily and Jeff had worked together to convince the rest of the family to use a nearby guest house owned by the hospital in order to get some sleep. Jeff was ensconced in a sleeper-lounger in his youngest son's room while Emily had spent the night on a cot in the doctor's lounge at the hospital. When John had questioned that, Emily and Shana had both laughed.

"Starman," Emily had finally answered. "Do you think this is the first time I have slept in one of those? While training, I practically lived in a lounge."

Shana had just stood back, smiling, before she nudged Alan. "Not bad, kid," she teased, only to chuckle when Alan looked confused.

"Well," she explained, "your accident indirectly led to Emily meeting John. The bank robbery got Sarah back in your life and you being sick helped patch things up faster with her and Virgil. What are you gonna do to get a match for Scott?"

"Not a thing," Scott firmly said. "I can find my own future spouse without my youngest brother ending up in the hospital, thank you very much."

"So get to work on it," Gordon teased as he moved to the door, moving a bit faster when he realized the wrath of Scott was almost upon him.

Jeff sighed. "Boys – go save Gordon." When John and Virgil ran out of the room after their brothers, Jeff turned to Sarah and winked.

"Sarah – make sure they all behave."

"Well," Sarah mused as she headed to the door, "I'll make sure Scotty, Johnny and Gordy do. Frankly," she grinned as she stepped into the hallway, "I'm hoping Virgil doesn't."

Alan and Emily laughed at the dismayed look on the family patriarch's face.

Jeff sighed once more. He really needed to get the house for John and Emily finished.

If only so that Sarah could sleep in the guest room.

* * *

That night, everyone involved slept deeply. After some initial fussing by Scott worrying the Alan needed him, Virgil finally slipped a mild sedative in Scott's cup of hot chocolate.

Sipping her herbal tea, Sarah smiled as she watched John and Virgil tuck their oldest brother into bed. Handing John a fresh cup of hot cocoa, she gestured with her head to a closed door across the hall.

"I gave Gordon some mild muscle relaxants. His back was starting to spasm." When Virgil looked panicky, Sarah grabbed his arm and held firmly.

"Shana checked him over. He just overdid it. If it still bothers him tomorrow, Shana will book an ortho consult for him."

John gently closed the door to Scott's room. Gesturing to Gordon's room, he nodded. "I'll use the other bed in Gordon's room. I assume you'll be with Scott, Virg?" he asked even as he walked away. "Sarah there is a third bedroom down the hall. We saved it for you. Has a queen sized bed and the best view of the gardens below. G'nite!"

Sarah grinned at Virgil once the door had shut behind the blonde Tracy brother.

"So – You sleeping with Scott or do you want to see the view from my room?"

Kissing Sarah passionately, he returned her grin. "What do you think? Mama Tracy didn't raise no fool."

Giggling, Sarah returned the kiss before following Virgil down the hall and closing the door behind them. Another giggle was followed by a sigh…

And in Virgil's arms, Sarah knew she was home.

* * *

As the sun began to rise over the Eastern Seaboard, Dr. Theodora "Teddy" Duncan slipped into the room of her newest patient, in a secure ward on the sixth floor of the medical center.

Teddy tried not to think badly of the young woman lying in front of her. She had worked on people accused of violent crimes before and tried to only consider her patients medical needs and not what charges they faced after leaving the hospital. But with evidence linking the patient to two murders and two attempted murders in two different states, not to mention that the woman attacked a visiting doctor and a Boston paramedic –

As Teddy made notes on the data pad at the end of the bed, she looked up when she heard the patient stirring.

"Elaina?" the plastic surgeon asked with a gentle smile. "Elaina, I'm Dr. Duncan. I've been taking care of you."

Through swollen lips, the young woman spoke.

"Wh-where am I?"

"You're in Bay State Medical Center. You – well, you had a bit of an accident yesterday."

"S-Sarah J-Jane d-d-d-did this to m-me."

"Not exactly," a new voice said as Nathan Matthews and Daria Delgado entered the room.

"Ms. Roy," Daria began. "I'm Special Agent Daria Delgado from the New York office of the FBI. We're coordinating with the Massachusetts State Police – represented by Lieutenant Nathan Matthews here -" Nate nodded – "in a series of crimes in which you have been directly implicated. Now, before I go any further, I have to advise you of your rights."

Daria quickly read off the Miranda Rights, before finishing as she always did with "Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you?" When Lainie nodded slowly, Nate spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Roy," Nate said firmly, as he indicated a small recording device. "We need you to verbalize your answer."

"I – I unnerstand," Lainie said tiredly. "But I didn't do anyth-thing wrong."

"Uh-huh," Daria nodded. ""Ms. Roy, I should let you know that we currently have found eyewitnesses and forensic evidence to tie you to the murders of Vernon Hinckley and Elias Delise -"

When Lainie looked annoyed at the first name, then blank at the second, Nate tried to hide his frustration as he added, "Elias Delise was the delivery man whose throat you slit yesterday."

Lainie's blasé shrug appalled both law enforcement officers, but they hid it well as Daria continued.

"You have also been implicated in the attempted murder of Dr. Edgar Lessard – which could be upgraded to murder if he doesn't wake up – the attempted murder of Alan Tracy, assault on Emily Haas, criminal threatening of Sarah Jane Woodbury and criminal trespass."

"Criminal trespass?" Nate muttered.

Daria shrugged. The medical center had pressed those charges for illegally entering. It would make it easier to sue Lainie for the damage to the atrium. What was supposed to be a simple repair of one glass floor panel and a three day closure looked to be a fortnight and multiple panels, plus the complete sterilization and some repair to the fountain in the main entryway. Management was not happy.

"Sarah Jane h-hurt _me," _Lainie insisted.

"Before you go further," Nate argued. "You should be aware that security had a camera running – even if they were not actively monitoring – in the atrium. We watched the whole fight."

"Yeah," Daria grinned. "Woody had some awesome moves. But," she sobered, "she did nothing that could not be read as self-defense."

"I don't know," Nate muttered once more. "The head butt in the wall?"

"I was thinking more of the ass-kick," Daria whispered.

Not able to hear the two law enforcement officers, Lainie glared before freezing. Raising a hand, she was appalled to realize she was secured to the bed. When she began to struggle, Dr. Duncan stepped forward.

"Elaina, don't struggle. You're in the security wing of the hospital."

"Am I under arrest?" Lainie hissed.

"What part of being read your rights did you not understand?" Daria snarked.

"Holly and I did nothing wrong," Lainie argued.

"Holly?" Daria asked as she glanced at Nate.

"Holly Woodbury," Lainie said. "She's my best friend. Where is she, she'll tell you."

After that, Lainie refused to say anything beyond demanding Holly's presence.

"Ok," Dr. Duncan asked as they left the room. "What was up with that? Shouldn't we get her friend? It sounds as if she'll need her."

"Holly Woodbury," Daria carefully explained, "died in a house fire she set when attempting to kill her family more than five years ago. Her parents died and her sister, Sarah Jane, barely survived."

"So the young woman she tried to kill yesterday? Was that the sister?" Teddy asked.

"One and the same," Nate confirmed.

"And then the sister saved my patient's life?"

Daria nodded in confirmation, ignoring the nurse who entered the room behind them and failing to notice the door was still partially open.

"Yes, Sarah Jane Woodbury and Emily Haas – her would be victims – saved Elaina Roy's life. But we have enough evidence that if she doesn't get life in prison in Mass, New York would love to stick a needle in her arm for good."

"How bad will the scarring be?" Nate asked out of curiosity.

"There will be severe facial scarring," Dr. Duncan confirmed. "If she had the money, I know a few people who might have lessened it. But they are the sort of doctors who don't take insurance."

"Make that Medicaid," Daria quipped. "Trust me, trying to kill the boss's son? You get fired and there goes your health benefits."

"So no more using her looks to ruin lives," Nate mused.

"Oh, I don't know," Daria commented, moving to the side as the nurse left Lainie's room. "I think they ruined one more life – her own."

As the officers walked away and Teddy Duncan continued her rounds, neither noticed the door close on Lainie's room. And no one saw the broken woman begin to weep…

And plot out what she knew she had to do.

* * *

Waking slowly, Alan Tracy stirred and smiled at the sight in front of him. Jeff Tracy was laying in the sleeper recliner in front of the windows. For a man who had saved countless lives in International Rescue and controlled so many more lives as the CEO of Tracy Enterprises, few could imagine seeing him so relaxed and at ease.

A light scent of lilacs wafted past Alan and he smiled. "I know, Mom," he said softly. "I know, you're here. I believe."

Jeff stirred at the sound of Alan's voice. "Alan," he yawned as he stretched, pushing the light blanket to the side. "You awake?"

"Nah," Alan smirked. "You're still dreaming. And you have some twisted dreams, Dad."

Shaking his head, Jeff tried not to laugh. There were times Alan sounded so much like Lucy…

"Ready for breakfast?" Jeff asked. "They are not supposed to be around for another thirty to forty minutes, but -"

Alan sighed. "Not yet. Can we get out of here for a little while?" He brightened. "Hey, can we head out to the garden? It looks nice out."

Jeff glanced out the window before pulling out his phone. Going to the app for local weather, he was reviewing it, seeing the Indian Summer was still holding. As long as Alan had a jacket and maybe a blanket or two –

"Or," Alan continued, "we could head to the atrium. That was nice when you guys would bring me there last time."

Thinking of the condition of the atrium, Jeff sighed. "Let me get a wheelchair and a couple of blankets. We need to let the nurse know anyhow."

Rolling his eyes as his father left the room, Alan muttered, "Parents are so weird."

* * *

Scott Tracy blearily blinked and frowned.

He hated waking up in a strange place.

Although if any of his brothers were there, they would make a snarky comment that the oldest Tracy son just hated mornings. Which may have been true…

But they didn't have to say it.

Looking over at the bed across the room, Scott blinked once more before sitting straight up. They had discussed this earlier in the evening…Scott would sleep in the same room as Virgil because Scott was a light sleep and Virgil – unlike Gordon – didn't snore. John could sleep anywhere and through anything if he wanted to, probably a by-product of his time with NASA.

But Virgil wasn't in bed.

Virgil slept deeply and hated getting up in the morning. So where was he?

Scott jumped out of bed, pulling on a t-shirt over his boxers, as he headed for the door. Going into the hallway, he pounded on the door across the way.

"John, Gordy," Scott said frantically. "I can't find Virgil."

John opened the door, leaning into the frame, with a sleepy Gordon behind him.

"Scott, I know you're stressed," John yawned. "But Virgil should be fine."

"He's not where he should be," Scott worried.

Gordon tapped on his watch. "Well, he's here. Did you check downstairs?"

"Virgil is never up first," Scott said. "When did you see him last?"

"Well," John said absently, "he was talking to Sarah in the hallway when I went to bed. You – um – had fallen asleep – you must have been exhausted – and Shana had prescribed some pain meds for Gordon when his back was spasming. Not sure."

"Sarah!" Scott said excitedly. "I'll ask her!"

Scott dashed down the hall before John thought to stop him.

"Damn it, Scott," John muttered. Sarah Jane wasn't six anymore. And while he doubted Sarah was the type to sleep au natural, it had been a long time…

Scott called out Sarah's name and after a hasty knock, opened the door without waiting for acknowledgement. Even more quickly, he shut the door and fell back against the wall.

"Scott?" Gordon smirked. "You ok?"

"OK?" Scott said with wide eyes. "No, no I don't think I am. And I never, ever, ever, ever want to know when you guys are _busy. _Got it?"

That said, Scott hurried downstairs while Gordon and John fell to the floor, laughing hysterically.

* * *

Jeff wheeled Alan out into the early morning sunlight. It was unexpectedly warm for November in Massachusetts, but the sun was still fairly low in the sky. Still, Alan breathed deeply, clearly relieved to be outside. Jeff thought of when his youngest was home and how the boy rarely stayed inside. Apparently, the teenager followed the same pattern at school, even to doing his homework outside until the frigid New England weather would force him back indoors.

Smiling up at his father, Alan patted the older man's hand. "Thanks, Dad. I needed this." Shifting slightly in the wheelchair, Alan suggested, "You could go get yourself a cup of coffee if you like."

"I'm not leaving you, Alan," Jeff said firmly. "Your brothers should be along by eight. I can wait."

"And if you can't, you can have this one," Greg Sanders said as he came around the corner. Handing Jeff a cup with "Dunkin Donuts" blazed on it, he took a sip from his own.

"I automatically grabbed one for Daria," the FBI agent explained. "But as we pulled up to the hospital, I remembered the OB banned all caffeine for my partner. She was not a happy camper."

Chuckling, Jeff nodded his thanks as he quickly took a sip of the still hot brew. Sighing in relief, he ignored Alan's smirk at his reaction to his first cup of the day.

"You needed the fresh air, Alan," Jeff muttered. "I needed this."

Alan held a hand out to Sanders. "Agent Sanders, right? I remember Agent Delgado pointing you out after the bank robbery. She said you were a great agent and I should keep an eye out for the future head of the FBI."

Greg tried not to show any reaction to that. He and Daria might be the same age, but his partner and one of her fellow classmates from Quantico, Kate Eppes, were considered the rising stars of the Bureau. It was quite the honor that Daria viewed him as having that much potential.

"That's right Alan," Sanders admitted before blushing. "Well, I mean, I'm Agent Greg Sanders. I'm not sure about the rest. And this is Albert Morton from the Springfield Police Department. He was one of the first officers investigating your assault."

"Assault?" Alan questioned. "I know I was poisoned – my family admitted _that_ much." The teenager playfully glared at his father. "I'm not sure if I would consider it an assault."

"Well," Morton said as he sat on a bench next to Alan's chair. "For legal purposes, it is considered that. Now, two suspects have emerged and we need to ask you about your interactions with them."

"Can't this wait?" Jeff asked protectively, moving closer to his son's wheelchair, but stopped when Alan looked up at him.

"No, Dad, it can't. I want to – no, I _need _to know why someone would hate me enough to kill me. I have the right to know that. This wasn't an accident. Someone purposely did this and I want to know who and why."

"First off," Sanders nodded, impressed by Alan's maturity and resolute nature. "Do you remember Elaina Roy?"

Alan looked confused. "Um – no."

"You would have known her back in Bailey, Kansas," Sanders pressed.

"Wait," Alan said. "_Lainie _Roy? Holly Woodbury's BFF from Hell? I couldn't stand that, um," Alan stuttered, trying to think of an adequate description that wouldn't get him grounded until the New Year.

"Well," Sanders said cheerfully, "apparently, the feeling was mutual. Your brothers have explained why, and I have to say, some of the reasons were pretty stupid and petty."

"So were Holly and Lainie," Alan sniped.

"Alan," Jeff cautioned softly before Alan interrupted.

"No, Dad," Alan argued. "You didn't see how psycho both of Satan's Cheerleaders were to Sarah Jane. And now it turns out one tried to hurt me? Why? Because I exist? Pretty lousy reason." Looking at Morton he asked, "And is that why Sarah was a suspect however briefly? Because Loony Lainie said so?"

"How did you know that?" Morton asked.

"My brothers told me that Sarah had been a suspect," Alan said calmly. "As for Lainie trying to blame her, Lainie always blamed others for her own sins. It was her standard MO."

"Yes, well, she paid for it," Sanders muttered only to stop when Jeff shook his head frantically.

Alan looked at his father in suspicion. "OK, Dad – what aren't you telling me?"

"We'll go into detail later," Jeff said firmly. "But for now – have you found out who helped Lainie at Wharton's?"

"What?" Alan gasped in dismay. "Someone at school…" Alan's voice trailed off as he realized the implications.

Sanders and Morton looked at each other before the FBI agent spoke.

"So, Alan – how well did you know David Turcotte?"

"Dave Turcotte?" Alan looked thoughtful before snapping his fingers. "Yeah, scholarship student. Had work study in the mailroom. He always teased me about the care packages I would get." He looked up at his father. "Between Onaha, Lady P and the rest of you, I averaged three packages a week."

Jeff chuckled. "Well, you do have a tendency to focus on things and forget others. Like eating right."

"I guess," Alan shrugged. "But -" Alan broke off, looking back at the law enforcement officers. "Wait, are you saying Dave had something to do with this? But I barely knew him! Just in passing, you know?"

Sanders nodded. "He was found yesterday evening – he had hung himself. He left a suicide note saying that rich people didn't deserve what they had and that an example had to be made. In all honesty, Alan – I don't think it was anything personal. You just fit the mold for what some guy wanted to use for making his point in social equity. The fact that you had packages delivered made it easier. He must have seen Sarah Woodbury bring you the trail mix, found out that you had enjoyed it and told Ms. Roy. In turn, she had used a stolen credit card to purchase the trail mix in Sarah's name and mailed it to you, planning on framing her if need be. We'll know more when – or if – Elaina Roy starts talking."

Alan lowered his head. "God – this is insane."

All three men couldn't help but agree with the boy in front of them. Morton sighed and was about to speak when something caught his eye. Nudging Sanders, the agent followed the cop's gaze and his jaw dropped.

"Oh, shit."

* * *

_**A/N - OK, one more chapter after this, then the epilogue. Pretty simple right?**_

_**Alan - Simple, she says? What is happening?**_

_**CC - Alan, if I tell you that, who would read the next chapter?**_

_**Scott - Forget the next chapter, tell me why everyone thinks David did it when we all know Kyle is the psycho?**_

_**CC - Ah, but if I bust both Kyle and Lainie, I'd lose two awesome baddies. Lainie was - in Crime show speak - rapidly devolving, racking up more vics. And I am going to let you all have input on something. The doctor - should he die of his injuries or survive? It will be up to you.**_

_**Alan - You do realize you are deeply disturbed.**_

_**CC - Yup.**_

_**Scott - Give it up, Allie. She thinks that is a compliment.**_

_**Alan - What new trauma and dramas for us after this?**_

_**CC - Well, first a sweet oneshot for Sammygirl1963's birthday, then I am torn...A one shot with John and Emily's wedding or head straight unto Scott and Kate's story. And no, that is my choice.**_

_**Scott - But no more Lainie after this story, right?**_

_**CC (mutters) - Not unless I do another Thunderbird/ Supernatural Crossover.**_

_**Alan - Scott, are you scared yet?**_

_**Scott - nope. Sammygirl1963 won't let her hurt me.**_

_**Alan - Well, what about me?**_

_**CC - Sorry kid - I don't hurt you, there goes most of my plot lines. Now, my daughter just made a doughnut shaped strawberry cake with butter cream frosting. Who's up for a slice?**_

_**Scott - Hey, at least she feeds us. Writer with Sprite tortures us and makes us go hungry.**_

_**CC - That's the spirit! More soon - and don't forget: you can save a life when you review.**_


	27. Chapter 27  Pushing Back the Shadows

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - As we round up, still don't own**_

* * *

**Chapter 27 – Pushing Back the Shadows**

Elaina Roy would never try and claim she was brilliant. But from the time she was a little girl, total strangers had stopped on the street to gawk at the beautiful child. As Lainie had learned that beautiful people got what they wanted almost all the time, she was unafraid to use that to her advantage. By the time she was in her early teens, she had discovered that men were putty in her hands.

So what would become of her? Without her looks, Lainie could see nothing of a future. She would be tossed in a hole, forgotten by the Tracys and their ilk, as they went into their happy, well-funded, future.

"_Come on, Lainie," _Holly crooned. _"Are you just going to accept this? You have a choice. You can make sure no one ever forgets you, baby."_

"No one should ever forget me," Lainie whispered blankly. She glanced down at the restraints at her wrists. The nurse had taken pity on her and loosed them, after having glanced at the cuts on Lainie's wrists. After adjusting the restraints, the nurse had patted her shoulder and said that she would be back with some more pain medication. With the now loosened restraints, Lainie was able to easily remove them.

Slipping out of bed, Lainie looked out the door, seeing the nurse being pulled into another room by another nurse. Glancing down the hallway, she was appalled to see security guards at the exit. Recalling the cops' words about her now being confined, Lainie knew she was going to have to rethink her options.

As she quietly shut the door, Lainie moved painfully to the window. Glancing into the early morning light, she froze when she saw Jeff Tracy below. Seeing a blonde haired youth in a wheel chair, Lainie was furious to realize it was Alan Tracy. The kid was fine! What the hell were they doing to her? It wasn't like anyone was really hurt, right?

"_Look at them," _Holly hissed in her ear. _"Happy – smiling – like you don't matter. They have forgotten you. You can't let them forget you, baby."_

"No," Lainie whispered. "They certainly won't forget me."

* * *

Sarah was chuckling as she poured the coffee, even as Virgil was setting a plate of waffles on the table.

"Scott," she teased the oldest Tracy brother, "you do realize both Virgil and I are above the age of consent, right?"

"You're not married," Scott said stubbornly, even as he piled waffles and a slice of ham steak on his plate.

Ignoring John's snort of laughter at Gordon's _"Yeah, cause you're a vestal virgin", _Sarah raised her chin.

"No, we're not. But we will be."

John looked at Sarah and Virgil, the redhead standing behind his middle brother's chair, resting her arms on his shoulders even as Virgil stroked her lower arms.

"You said something like that at the hospital," John commented. "When did you ask, Virgil?"

"Um, I didn't," Virgil admitted.

Gordon snickered. "Hey, Sarah – putting the cart before the horse?" Gordon froze. "Aw hell – did I just use a Grandma-ism?"

"Yes, yes you did," Sarah smiled. "And Virgil didn't ask me. I asked him."

John smiled back at her. "That's our girl. But Virg – you still have to get her a ring."

Virgil nodded. "I have the ring at home." At everyone's – even Sarah's - startled glance, Virgil shrugged. "I've known for a while that I want to marry you. I found the perfect ring at a little antique shop when I went on a supply run last month."

Even as Sarah gently kissed her fiancé, John asked out of curiosity, "So when did you propose, Sarah?"

When Sarah turned beet red, the brothers looked at Virgil in confusion. Virgil simply chuckled. "It was when we were transporting Loony Lainie to the Emergency Room."

The brothers roared with laughter before John choked out, "You proposed after a rescue?" The Tracys nodded at each other. Sarah really was family – and a perfect addition to International Rescue.

"You proposed after a bank robbery," Sarah pointed out even as she let Virgil guided her to a seat next to him.

Now it was John's turn to smile and nod before he gestured at Scott. "But guys – make sure you don't traumatize big brother anymore."

"It's a family trait," Sarah muttered to Virgil even as he poured her a glass of orange juice. Virgil nodded which confused the brothers even more.

"OK – spill," Gordon said. "You guys have been making reference of being traumatized for years. What the hell are you talking about?"

Ignoring Scott's murmured _"language" _(at least they thought that was what he said – his mouth was full of waffles at the time), Virgil and Sarah looked at each other and started laughing before Sarah nodded.

"We may as well tell them. But – you three have to promise never to tell your father."

"OK," John said slowly even as Scott and Gordon agreed silently, seeing as their mouths were still full.

"Mom and Dad had one of their fights," Virgil explained. Their parents hadn't fought often, but Alan had Lucy Tracy's temper. And Jeff's temper was something as well, so clashes were inevitable.

"Well, it got quiet," Sarah continued. "Scott had taken Alan outside to play and John was at the library. Gordon was…" she trailed off, not remembering where Gordon was.

"Gordon was swimming," Virgil supplied.

"Oh, yeah," Sarah said sarcastically. "Huge shock there. Anyhow," she hastily continued at her fellow ginger's glare. "We decided to go check on your parents."

"Afraid that Dad had done away with Mom?" Scott teased as he swallowed and went to take a sip of juice.

"Remembering wrong, Scooter," Sarah teased. "Your mother was more likely to commit violence. She had quite the temper."

"But you found them safe and sound, right?" Gordon joked as he picked up his juice glass.

"We found them, uh -" Virgil trailed off before sighing and looking down at the plate in front of him. Sarah took pity on him and finished.

"We found them – how did you phrase it, Scott? We found them _busy."_

All three brothers choked on their beverages, gasping for air for a moment as the newly-engaged couple's meaning became clear.

"You poor kids," John sympathized. "How old were you?"

Virgil and Sarah glanced at each other. "It was about six months before the avalanche," Sarah ventured. "So I was seven and Virgil was nine."

Raising a glass to the pair, Gordon grinned. "Well, glad to see you recovered," he teased before ducking when four napkins were thrown at him.

* * *

Shana Pierce reviewed the overnight reports on trauma patients, making a few notes and sending off messages to attending physicians as she went through.

"Hey, Shay," a voice crooned in her ear and pulled her back into his arms.

Smiling up at her husband, Shana raised her face for a kiss. "You got home late last night," she gently admonished him. "The boys missed you."

"And you didn't?" Nate teased before becoming serious. "I had a lot of paperwork. And coordinating state/local or state/federal would be bad enough. All three? It's a nightmare."

"And when you did get home, you spent a lot of time on the phone before you crawled into bed," Shana continued.

Sighing, Nate's face had taken on a seriously lemon-sucking expression. "Mom was playing the wounded party card. But the good news is all my siblings are on your side. They love that someone stands up to her."

"So they don't have to?" Shana sarcastically answered.

With another sigh, Nate nodded. "But the good news is Mom has decided that she would rather combine Labor Day weekend and her birthday."

"OK," Shana grumbled. "First – it's November. Your mother's birthday is in July. Her would-be party was in August. And now September? AND the holiday weekend? Which day of it?"

"Um," Nate muttered. "All of it."

"All of Labor Day weekend?" When Nate nodded, Shana smiled. "OK, that works. Considering I will be in Los Angeles that weekend."

Nate frowned. "Wait – is Labor Day the weekend for the medical conference?"

"Yep. Have fun."

"Gee," Nate said sarcastically. "Thanks." As Shana blew him a kiss as she walked away, he called after her.

"You know, my mother will be complaining about your absence all weekend."

"So she'll have a semi-legitimate excuse," Shana said as she pressed the elevator button. "She can consider it my birthday present."

As his wife disappeared behind the closing elevator doors, Nate sighed. It probably was the perfect gift for his mother now that he thought about it.

* * *

The Tracy brothers – sans the youngest but with an honorary sister (soon to be wife and sister-in-law) – headed up the street, laughing and relaxed as they hadn't been in a long time. Breakfast had been a throwback to days long ago, when as children growing up in a small Kansas town, unbreakable bonds had been forged. The bonds had be stressed and tested but had held up to pressure.

"No way!" Sarah exclaimed. "And your father let you pilot the rocket again?"

Gordon shrugged. "Well, Dad kinda likes flying Three but the rest of us can either take or leave it. Alan, however -"

"Alan is too young for that," Sarah argued.

"Kid is a natural, Sarah Jane," John argued lightly. "We just want him safe and protected as well, but he has grown up with the Thunderbirds and Three is the fastest vessel, except maybe One. And you know how much Allie loves to go fast."

Sarah smiled indulgently. Yeah, she knew.

"Hey," Emily called out, hurrying towards the group.

John reached out a hand and pulled her close. "Good morning, beautiful. How was your night?"

"Lonely," Emily confessed with a slight blush as she raised her face for a kiss from her fiancé.

"So you came running to meet us?" Gordon cooed. "Aw, how sweet."

Emily glared at her future brother-in-law. "Gordon Cooper Tracy. I will tell you this only once: what I break, I do not fix. So watch it."

Ignoring the snickers of Sarah and the three older Tracy brothers, Emily explained, "The nurse on Alan's floor said your father took him out to the gardens before breakfast. I was hoping to get them to join me for breakfast and give Alan a once over without him realizing it."

"She's learning," Virgil snickered, all of them knowing how Alan hated being fussed over – smothered, as he insisted – when he was hurt or ill.

"That she – is -" Sarah's voice trailed off as she looked at something on an upper level of the hospital. "Is that – Oh – my – freakin' – God," she gasped. "What the hell is she doing now?"

* * *

With the strength that madness lends a soul, Lainie forced open the security latches on the window. Pulling it open, she slipped out of the window and onto a ledge.

"Why do they get to be happy?" she whispered as she looked down at Alan and Jeff Tracy, the father standing protectively close to his youngest as the teen was being interviewed by two men who's wardrobe screamed "cop". Looking down to the street, Lainie was sure she saw the ethereal blonde beauty who was engaged to John Tracy dash towards an approaching group of four men and a leggy red-haired woman. It had to be the other Tracys and Sarah Jane.

"I deserved to be happy."

"I deserved to be loved."

"_You need to make sure they remember you, Lainie," _Holly whispered from right beside her. _"Make sure they remember who you are and what they did to you. That will show them. That will make them pay."_

"I need to make them pay," Lainie said dully as she stepped away from the window, casting her fate to the wind.

It was a short lived future.

* * *

"Oh, shit," Sanders groaned as both he and Morton looked up.

Jeff frowned. He didn't let his boys use that kind of language and while he couldn't stop a grown man from using it, he did object to an authority figure like Agent Sanders from using it in front of his fifteen year old son. But something made Jeff's eyes follow the FBI agent's gaze rather than admonish him for his language.

When he looked up and saw what had to be Elaina Roy, dressed in a hospital gown, bandages covering her head and arms, bruising visible everywhere else, standing on the window's ledge of a sixth floor room, Jeff felt his mouth go dry in shock. As she lurched forward, intent in her body language, Jeff pulled Alan into his arms, making sure the teenager couldn't see what happened next.

Alan may not have been able to see what happened, but he could certainly hear it. A few panicked yells from people on the same level as him but not close by…a sickening "thud"…rapid movement nearby with his father's harsh breathing nearly drowning every thing else as the older man held him close to his chest.

Finally, he could hear Sarah Jane's voice.

"Don't bother, Emily," Sarah said sadly. "You're good, but – Lainie was always selfish. She couldn't deal with consequences."

"Either that or she just doesn't want to live with having to admit we saved her life," Emily snapped, furious at the waste of life – even that of a psychotic bitch.

"Well," Gordon muttered, "I guess she had brains after all."

"Yeah," Scott murmured in disgust. "I think I may have stepped in some of them."

Shana came running up to the group even as Nate and Daria joined Sanders and Morton in trying to secure the scene. She approached Jeff Tracy who was still preventing Alan from viewing the grisly scene.

"If you don't mind," the father said in a shaken voice. "I need to take Alan home. The sooner the better. I know you are worried about him, but tell me what we need and between Emily, Virgil and Sarah, I think he will have all the medical care he can handle."

Nodding absently, Shana led the way into the medical center. She couldn't blame the man.

* * *

_**A/N - Soooo...Final enough ending for Loonie? Epilogue will be up in a couple of days. - CC**_


	28. Chapter 28  Epilogue

**Light and Shadows**

**by Criminally Charmed**

_**Disclaimer - Sigh. So not mine. Still...**_

* * *

_**Epilogue**_

_The following May…_

The family all were laughing at the stories Alan was relating about earlier Track Meets.

"So then this idiot from St. Francis Academy keeps insisting that the track was fine, _forget _that it had been raining all of the night before. Totally ignoring the coaches, he decides he'll show us."

"Was that the one who broke his arm?" Gordon asked as he buttered a roll.

"His arm and one of the hurdles he was trying to jump," Alan laughed before sighing. "I will never understand some people."

Kate laughed and took another sip of ice tea before smiling warmly at both the oldest and youngest Tracy sons. Addressing Alan, she patted his hand.

"Trust me, Kiddo,' the FBI agent smiled. "The best minds in the FBI still have to wonder about a few people out there."

"So," Emily asked, "how did you go from Computer Crimes to Fugitive Recovery? If your dad was being over-protective, I would think Fugitive Recovery would be more dangerous, not less?"

"OK," Sarah interjected. "Take pity on the girl who came late to the party. HUH?"

"Yeah," Gordon asked, "why were you late to Alan's track meet?"

"I'll explain once someone gets me caught up to speed," Sarah argued.

Amazingly, it was Scott who answered. "Well, if I understand everything correctly, Emily was dating Kate's cousin, who is also a doctor. At that time, Kate worked for the Computer Crimes Division of the FBI. In between then and now, Emily dumped the doctor, married our brother and got pregnant. Kate, on the other hand, stopped someone from selling some national security software from Tracy Enterprises, got shot in the doing of it, and her father – who is the director of the FBI – transferred her to Fugitive Recovery which, I have to agree, sounds more dangerous, not less. Did I get everything?"

Kate threw her head back, a deep, throaty laughter rippling out as silkily as the strands of her inky black hair that pulled free from the clasp at the base of her neck. Scott seemed mesmerized by the sight but still listened to Kate's humorous response.

"When you consider how many fugitives I can track down using the Internet? Trust me, I rarely left the office. Mainly, I was creating reports to forward to field agents while I was tied to my desk."

"So you must be pretty good with computers," John commented. "What's your background?"

Shrugging, Kate took a sip of tea before answering. "I have dual bachelors in Computer Science and Criminal Justice and a Masters in Computational Mathematics. I'm also only the second person to have the age requirement waived to join the FBI. Considering the first person was Spencer Reid – and that man is a legend at the Bureau – and he had three doctorates before joining, well, I guess I got lucky."

"Must help to have your father be the FBI director," Virgil muttered before realizing the three women were all glaring at him. Surprisingly, it was Emily who answered.

"Actually, Mr. Eppes wasn't the Director when Kate was accepted. He had been about to retire when the Director died suddenly and he was appointed. If he had been Director, he would have never signed off on it."

Kate shrugged again. "Like I said, Dad is kinda overprotective of me."

Jeff was looking very thoughtful through all of the conversation and Scott happened to catch the expression on his father's face. He knew Jeff had wanted to get a computer security division off the ground at Tracy Enterprises. They just needed the right person to lead the division. From the look on Jeff Tracy's face, Scott couldn't help but wonder if they had found their man.

Urgh – their woman.

Suddenly, Kate changed the subject. "Alan – who was that kid in the next section? The one in the blue jeans and t-shirt that would have cost me a week's pay?"

Alan sighed. "Let me guess – he was also wearing designer shades the entire time and spent most of his time texting or watching videos on his i-phone?" When Kate nodded, Alan looked like he had eaten something sour.

"Probably Kyle Westcott. Ever since I came back to school after Christmas, I have been picking up on some really creepy vibes from him. I know he applied for the AP program and was turned down, in part because several younger students, including myself and Fermat, are taking Senior classes, so they aren't allowing any of next year's graduates, who aren't already in the program, to join. Also, he wanted to join the track team but the coach passed on him, saying he had a full roster. He plays soccer, however, so hopefully that keeps him busy."

Playing with his food for a minute, Alan shrugged. "I don't know why he should hold any of that against me. I didn't prevent him from doing anything. I just got there first."

Sarah touched his hand gently. "Baby, sometimes we can't understand it. People decide they don't like something – or someone – and all of the sweet reason in the world won't sway them."

Everyone knew how much Alan was still bothered by the fact that David Turcotte – a boy he barely knew – had hated him enough to want him dead. The fact that Alan had survived was irrelevant. His soul had been scarred even if his body had healed.

"Was Kyle friends with David Turcotte?" John asked, wondering if there was a connection.

Alan made a dismissive sound. "Westcott would never be friends with a scholarship student. You should see how -" He broke off as he glanced at Fermat.

"I m-may not b-be a sc-sc-scholarship student," Fermat explained shyly. "But I n-never h-hid the f-fact th-that Mr. T-Tracy pays for m-my school f-fees."

Jeff shrugged. "It's part of your father's contract. Onaha and Kyrano have the same clause in their contracts."

"Well," Alan explained. "In Kyle's eyes, it makes Fermat a "charity" case."

"If he's a class snob," Virgil wondered, "you would think he would be fine with you."

Frowning, Jeff wondered aloud. "Well, to some, I am considered Nuevo Riche. If he is old money, he could object to the fact that I earned my money."

Alan shook his head. "His father is Gilbert Westcott. And his mother was his father's secretary before they married."

Jeff's frown deepened. He hadn't really had business with Westcott, a hedge fund wizard who had exploded onto the business scene twenty years ago. They had barely crossed paths and he knew the other man by reputation only as a hard, business driven man whose one soft spot was his wife of eighteen years. He had never heard mention of a son at all…

"Well," Alan sighed. "I have no clue what Westcott's problem is. But he's a senior next year and I won't have to deal with him after that."

"That's the spirit," Gordon said cheerfully.

"More to the point," Emily said happily, "we are here for a much more important reason - for Alan's birthday." Raising a water glass, she smiled at her youngest brother-in-law.

"So happy birthday, Sweetie."

Alan blushed as most of his family echoed the sentiment before turning to his father.

"So, Dad – Tomo is taking me into Springfield on Tuesday to take my driver's exam. If I pass, any chance of helping me get a car?"

Jeff frowned. "Alan, you don't need a car." Seeing his youngest son's disappointment, he grinned. "Not yet."

When Alan looked up in confusion, Jeff reached over and ruffled the teenager's blonde hair before pulling out his phone. Punching a few keys, he brought up an e-mail. "Here – take a look."

Alan took the phone and looked before giving his father a puzzled glance. "Dad – that looks like…" His face screwed up before a light seemed to go on behind his eyes and he beamed at Jeff. "Is it?"

Jeff grinned and leaned back as Alan jumped from his seat. Following his son – and being followed by the rest of the family – Jeff was chuckling the whole way to the garage.

Alan leaned into the door frame, grinning from ear to ear. He smiled at his father when Jeff put an arm around his youngest son's shoulders.

"A nineteen fifty eight Thunderbird convertible that needs some major tune-ups, a bit of body work, but for the most part it's pretty solid. I figure we can work on it whenever you come home and by the time you head off to college, it will be ready to be hauled back here."

"It's perfect, Dad," Alan sighed in rapture.

"OK," Kate mumbled. "That car needs more than a "bit" of work. It needs LOTS of work. How is that a great gift?"

Sarah and Emily smiled at each other as well as the six Tracy men as they checked over the vehicle. They had a feeling it was set to become a family project for all of them.

"It means Alan gets some one-on-one time with his father," Sarah explained softly, thrilled to see her baby so happy. "To him, that is priceless."

Emily nodded. "To them, it will be fun." Nudging Sarah, she grinned. "And with you busy with school and me with the baby AND the clinic…"

Kate continued to watch the Tracys as they intensely checked out the engine, good-naturedly arguing if parts or the whole engine needed replacing, before asking Sarah, "What school?"

Sarah turned to Kate even as she gestured at Emily. "Em helped get me into a Physician's Assistants Training Program in Auckland. It's run in cooperation with Mercy General and I am even living in her old condo since it is so close to the hospital. I should be finished the first part by the end of August, which is why we put off the wedding until September. Then I will be doing the practicals as part of my second half of training."

"Why didn't you go to school here in New England?" Kate asked.

Sarah smile turned sad. "I was still on desk duty when I had a good, long talk with Chief Gage. Being a Tracy girlfriend had drawn the media who are already a pain during rescues. A Tracy fiancée? I would be too much of a focus and could put people at risk. So I resigned from the fire department and started with the January class in Auckland. On the up side, I do see Virgil a lot more than I would have."

"On the down side," Kate grumbled, "those leeches are the reason you couldn't stay as a firefighter."

"But also on the up side," Emily grinned, "Sarah has become a Thunderbird in Training."

"And I am _never _getting behind the controls of Two again," Sarah mumbled. "One little scratch on the big, green bug and Virgil freaked."

Emily chuckled as she nudged Kate. "That means you have to be nice about Thunderbird One or Scott will be the one to go ballistic."

Kate grinned. "Boys and their toys, huh? I'll remember that."

Once she said that, Kate stepped into the garage and began to debate repair versus replacement for the interior of the classic car. Sarah shot Emily a puzzled look, which only intensified when the petite blonde chuckled.

"Kate always was a tom-boy according to Edward."

Sarah smiled. "She's going to drive Scott insane won't she?"

"Oh, yeah," Emily sighed. "Remember how we've always said Scott needed someone who would, in equal parts, drive him insane and make him happier than he's ever been?"

At Sarah's nod, she continued.

"Problem – meet solution. Kate will be perfect for Scott," the young doctor laughed even as Scott casually put an arm around Kate, apparently unaware that he was doing so.

Sarah grinned. Life wasn't perfect, but they were happy, they were together…And together, the Tracys could do anything.

* * *

_**A/N - OK, so ends this tale. And you may notice, all three stories - Left by the Wayside, Alan and John walk into a Bank and Light and Shadows - end the day of the track meet (also Alan's sixteenth birthday), just at different stages. So, John and Emily are married and expecting the first Tracy grandchild. Sarah and Virgil are engaged to be married. And Scott has now met Kate and things can only on from here. They'll get their own story soon.**_

_**Scott - How soon?**_

_**CC - Um, actually, I am taking some time off. I'll start your story around Labor Day.**_

_**Alan - Oh, man. Scott doesn't get lucky for three weeks? **_

_**CC - Hey - I go on vacation soon. I want to spend some time with my family.**_

_**Scott - Hmm. I guess I can accept that.**_

_**Alan - You can?**_

_**Scott - I guess. It will also mean no Alan Whump for three weeks.**_

_**CC - Nah, Writer with Sprite is taking care of that. Oh, but I will be doing a one-shot wee-Tracy story for Sammygirl1964's birthday August 18th.**_

_**Scott - Wee Tracy? So...Agnst?**_

_**CC - Pfftt. Do I look like Sam1? My WeeTracys are cute and sweet, no agnst.**_

_**Alan - Wo-Kay. **_

_**CC - And my daughter made strawberry cake with buttercream frosting. Want some?**_

_**Scott - Why is it shaped like a donut?**_

_**CC (glares) Because she likes the pan. I bought it from Avon. Live with it.**_

_**Alan (whispers) - Scott, eat the cake and hush. She may not be posting but she could be plotting out the story. Keep the crazy lady happy.**_

_**Cc - That's a clever boy, Alan. Oh, don't look so surprised. I write what you say - of course I can hear you. Eat up and see you in September. Scott, I'll see you sooner. But you'll be kinda young. Laters!**_


End file.
